The chronicles of teenagers and guardians
by captain austen
Summary: 1999: Another summer with our favorite foursome, Luke, Lorelai, Rory, and Jess. A sequel to The chronicles of children and guardians. Three days and four nights in the same house with Emily and Richard Gilmore. Does any else hear the Jaws theme music?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi peoples. I really and truly appreciate all the love that was sent my way at the end of the of my first story… "the chronicles of children and guardians." I didn't think that many people were actually reading my ponderings; I was amazed.**

**For newbie's I'll summarize. Jess came to stay with Luke for the summer of 1991 and ended up staying for eight years thus far. Luke, Lorelai, Rory, and Jess met each other that incredible, life changing summer, and the rest as they say is history. If you want to know more read the first have of the story.**

**What has happened in the interim will be explored as needed or possibly requested throughout the following chapters. Hope everyone enjoys this continuation and now with out further adieu… "the chronicles of teenagers and guardians" (creative no?)**

**Chapter 1: Family  
**

**1999: The last Saturday in May.**

"Do I have to wear a tie?" Jess yelled from the downstairs addition of the crap shack.

"Yes," Lorelai and Rory yelled back from the Rory's room, which was the next-door over.

"Crap," Jess muttered under his breath, trying to find one of his two ties in the mess that was his room.

"Watch your language," Luke reprimanded as he entered the kitchen.

"There is no way you could have heard that," Jess joined his uncle in the kitchen with his tie hanging loose around his collar.

"True, but I know you," Luke smirked, helping himself to a bottle of water from the frig.

"Your not dressed," Jess suddenly noticed, "Lorelai is going to kill you."

"We don't have to leave for another hour," Luke shrugged.

"No Rory and I have to be there in thirty minutes," Jess smiled at his uncle.

"Shit," Luke let slip out as he quickly rose from the table, "You didn't hear that right," he turned back to Jess.

"No," Jess shook his head trying really hard not to laugh.

Then Jess was left alone in the kitchen to struggle tying his tie, an art form he had yet to perfect. Even with the years of practice so painfully required by the one and only Emily Gilmore on the rare occasions they saw her, Easter, Christmas, and a few other times.

"Hey, did I hear Luke out here?" Lorelai asked emerging from Rory's room after helping her with her hair.

"Yeah," Jess answered repeating his attempt at his noose for the fifth time.

"Oh come here," Lorelai finally said after watching Jess for a moment. "Your just as helpless as your uncle," Lorelai smiled as she quickly and effortlessly tied Jess's tie and then fixed his collar. "You look very handsome," Lorelai remarked looking at the young man who stood before her.

"Is Rory nervous?" Jess asked trying to draw attention away from himself.

"Petrified," Lorelai answered looking back at her daughter's door. "What about you? Aren't you a little nervous?"

"Not really," Jess shrugged, "It's just a quick speech."

"But it's in front of the whole town, and your there to show off how smart you are," Lorelai said dramatically.

"I think I'm starting to see why Rory's so nervous," Jess accused Lorelai.

"My own nephew, I'm hurt; I'm really, truly, painfully…" Lorelai droned on until Rory interrupted her.

"Mom do you really want both of us freaking out on you?" Rory joined the other two at the table with her notes.

Jess yanked the notes from Rory's vision.

"Hey, give those back," Rory shrieked.

"No! You know your speech backwards, forwards, and probably upside down," Jess retorted.

"Mom," Rory started to tattle like they did back in grade school.

"Jess has point Rory," Lorelai tried explaining to her daughter.

"What?" Rory yelled shocked as she watched Jess smirked at her from the other side of the table, "Stop gloating!"

"Make me," Jess loudly answered back in true teenager form.

"My two valedictorians," Lorelai remarked watching the kids fight, like well kids.

Both Jess and Rory quieted down after that remark realizing how they were acting. "Sorry," they said in unison.

"Much better," Lorelai smiled.

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Luke and Lorelai were sitting in the audience at the junior high with all of the other parents. Luke was shaved and in a suit complete with tied tie, which he did himself, thank you every much. Lorelai was in a cute navy blue suit with a flippy shirt.

"This is ridiculous," Luke whispered in Lorelai's ear.

"What?" Lorelai looked around trying to see what Luke was talking about.

"They only graduating junior high with all this extravagant you'd think it was a grand college and at least high school. This town is crazy," Luke started to rant.

"Babe, you say that at every graduation. Anyway we should be proud we're raising Star Hollow's best and the brightest," Lorelai nudged Luke's side.

Luke just smiled at his beautiful, put his arm around her, and sat back to enjoy, as best he could, the ceremony.

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The principle was the first to speak, than the class president, and then some kid who had liberated the earthworms in the science lab midway through the year. Then it was the valedictorians' time; they were each given two minutes. Rory was the first to go, lady's first and all that. Also she had told Jess if he didn't let her go first she'd find a way to work his swan given back eye into her speech.

"Principle Matthews, faculty members, fellow students, family and friends, welcome. I have been looking forward and dreading this day for many weeks. This day marks a change in all our lives; we have only one more school, one more step until our futures await us. These last years have helped shape our childhoods; the next four will mold us into the young adults we wish to become. Whatever our steps are after that are our own: college, careers, etc. I would also like to take this time to thank the teachers that have taught be throughout the years.

Lastly, to my family… My mom who never gave me any idea that I couldn't do whatever I wanted to do or be whomever I wanted to be. If I grow up to be half the woman she is I will be perfectly content. My Luke, the only dad I've really even known, my ultimate protector; thank you for making my mom and I so happy these last eight years. And lastly, Jess, my cousin, who is actually much more of a brother, you are my best friend and my worst enemy. And you're never allowed to leave me, so get used to the idea of Harvard buddy." With that Rory was almost crying, as were a few others in the audience.

Jess was next; he walked on to the stage, hugged Rory, and then took his place behind the microphone.

"Wow, I knew I should have gone first. Anyway… again welcome, and do not worry you will be seeing your own kids soon. These last eight years have been unexpectedly great; they were not without trials but almost everything seemed to work out as if it were planned. I learned and played with some of the best and weirdest students and teachers here in Stars Hollow.

Now for a little deja vu… I would like to thank Luke, my uncle, who has given up more than I will probably ever know to raise me. I will forever be grateful for the chances you have given me, and the lessons you continue to teach me. To my aunt Lorelai, who is quite possibly the craziest person I have ever met; you have taught me what a true lady and mother is. And to my little sis, or cousin if you are getting technical, if it means spending four more years with you I'll consider Harvard again.

Thank you all for listening, I know your probably thinking Rory and I should have just shared a speech, but we share a bathroom is that not enough. Nevertheless, onward with the ceremony."

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After Jess had finished his speech Luke turned to Lorelai, "Our life's pretty great," he said with a huge proud smile.

"I concur," Lorelai smiled with tears in her eyes looking at her husband, "I just can't believe we'll be doing this again in just four years; they're growing up so fast."

"I know, but having the entire house to ourselves does present some enticing thoughts," Luke winked, "Besides it's never been just us; we've always had a pretty full house."

"Right," Lorelai tried to agree her mind drifting away to more pressing thoughts.

**The next chapter will be less sappy and hopefully longer, I promise!**

**This continuation will probably encompass this summer's break. Again I have no idea how long it will be, and I most definitely do not have a complete plan or focus. I do, however, have some great scenes running through my head; hopefully they come together okay. I will be a little slower in updating for the next month in a half through. Sorry finals and all. By the by... Is anyone even interested in reading this story? Or have any questions about the time line? Or have any scenes they really would like to see or flashbacked too?**

**Tell me your piece. Please, pretty please review!**


	2. Chapter 2: The unexpected expected

**Only one person figured out my subtle hint at the end of the last chapter. 5 points to remoob1513; however the points here don't matter. It's like "Whose line is it anyway?"**

**Chapter 2: The unexpected expected**

After the ceremony the group went home for a graduation themed movie marathon. American Graffiti, Say Anything… and of course The Graduate. By the time the movies were over it was really late or more precisely very early Sunday morning and everyone was exhausted. Rory and Jess trudged to their respective rooms, while Luke and Lorelai ascended the stairs to their room. Where they changed into their pajamas and settled into bed.

"Luke?" Lorelai asked bringing her head up from his chest, her favorite pillow.

"Yes," Luke groaned having almost fallen asleep as soon as his head hit his pillow.

"I can talk to you about something," Lorelai cringed.

"Can it wait to tomorrow? I have to be up in less than five hours to open," Luke genuinely asked, while absentmindedly stroking Lorelai's hair.

"Ok," Lorelai answered quietly placing her head back down.

Luke let the silence take over the room before he started felling guilty, "What do want to talk about?"

"It's nothing. We'll talk tomorrow, but thank you." Lorelai stretched up and gave him a sweet kiss.

"Are you sure?" Luke looked into her eyes, finding something unreadable about the look she was giving him.

"Yes. Now stop talking. I can't sleep with all your yammering," Lorelai teased.

"Good night, crazy lady," Luke grunted.

"Night, Lukey," Lorelai continued to play.

Luke decided to let that go this time and let his fatigue over take him, leaving Lorelai wide-awake with only her thoughts….

_The summer before Rory and Jess turned eleven and Luke and Lorelai had been married for two years, they started talking about adding on to their family. The kids were thrilled; however, after two years and one really early miscarriage it was decided that their foursome was enough. Since that time Luke and Lorelai had ceased using any type of birth control; they didn't think they had anything to worry about. That's why when Lorelai was late last month she didn't even take notice; it wasn't until Rory "become a woman" two weeks ago that she even remember to check her appointment book. She was late really, really late, like almost an entire month. In spite of this, Lorelai still hadn't given the tardiness much thought; she was too busy with the Rory and Jess's finals and they in-house competition for valedictorian, which resulted in Stars Hollow junior high's first two way tie. In addition the inn's schedule was packed with weddings, meeting, and many guests. Through her many years of work at the inn and her close friendship with the owner she had risen in rank, from a junior maid at seventeen to running the entirety of the inn since Mia's departure from Star Hollow two years ago. So the weight for the inn's success or failure was solely on Lorelai's shoulders. With all this commotion she hadn't given missing monthly visitor a second thought until yesterday when she woke up feeling terrible and couldn't keep a thing down; even that didn't seem like that big of a deal until the same thing happen that morning. This latest development had her wondering what exactly was happening with her body. _

Needless to say she didn't sleep well that night; even Luke's early morning alarm woke her up. She hadn't woken up because of his alarm since the first few weeks of their marriage.

"Are you ok?" Luke asked, while getting dressed for his run, a little concerned when he noticed her eyes following him around the room.

Lorelai just nodding and stole his pillow to hug.

"Try to get some more sleep," Luke said quietly leaning in to kiss her forehead. Then left to wake Jess up to run, Jess had started joining him about three years ago.

Lorelai continued to lie there for another forty minutes until she could take the silence no longer. "If Jess could be up, Rory could be up right?" was her logic as her went to find her daughter. "Rory?' Lorelai tried quietly at first, "RORY!"

"What?" Rory groaned turning over to look at the evil person who had dared to wake her so early on a Sunday morning.

"I needed to talk to you about a hypothetical question?" Lorelai explained as she joined her daughter in her twin bed.

"Ok?" Rory answered waking up a little more. She waited for a couple of minutes for her mother to start talking, "Mom what is it?"

"Nothing, I shouldn't bother you with it or at least until it's a confirmed it. Go back to sleep," Lorelai said slipping back out of bed and left the room.

"What? No way," Rory yelled jumping out of her bed and following her mother, "You know you have to tell me now!"

"There's probably nothing to tell," Lorelai turned around from half way up the stairs.

"Tell about what?" Luke asked the girls a little surprised that everyone in the house was up by six-twenty on a Sunday morning.

"Yea, you know we don't have secret here," Jess decided to chime in.

And as if on cue Lorelai felt her stomach flip and she made a mad dash for the upstairs bathroom leaving three very confused people in the living room. Rory and Jess looked expectantly at Luke.

"I guess I'll go see what wrong," he answered their glaze. He found Lorelai on the floor of the bathroom with her head in head hands. "You ok?" he repeated his question from earlier that morning.

"I think so," Lorelai lightly smiled as she took his offered hand to get up.

Luke put his hand on her head as if to check her temperature, "You don't feel that abnormally warm."

Lorelai was about to make a smart remark about always being hot, when she was interrupted.

"Maybe you should take today off: sleep, watch a bunch of terrible movies, or just spend sometime with Rory," Luke tried to convince her.

"But we're so busy," Lorelai started, but was against cut of by Luke. However, this time it was by his hand.

"Please, you're probably just exhausted this last month or so has been incredibly full, and Sunday is the day of rest," Luke continued.

"Fine, you win this time, but I'm taking Rory shopping later today if I feel any better," Lorelai conceded.

"Just leave a little money in the savings account," Luke retorted starting to get ready for his shower.

"No promises," Lorelai said leaving Luke to his needed shower; however not before she snuck a look at his bum.

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Later that day Lorelai and Rory were walking around a mall in Hartford. Lorelai was feeling much better physical at least; her mind, however, seemed to be playing tricks on her. While she was trying on a dress she could have swore she felt a fathom kick in her stomach, and that wasn't even biological possible for the size this question mark was.

"Mom, Are you going to tell me what this morning was about?" Rory questioned.

"No, not yet," Lorelai said ducking into another store.

After another hour and a few bags later the girls were walking out to the jeep, Luke and Lorelai had purchased when Lorelai was promoted to assistant manager of the inn.

"So can we go to Half Price Books while we're here in Hartford?" Rory looked at her mom with pleading eyes.

"You know Jess will kill us if we go without him," Lorelai stated, "and every time you two go in one of those stores we don't see you for days."

"As for Jess, you snooze you loose," Rory childishly spoke.

"He's not sleeping; he helping Luke at the diner," Lorelai tried defending.

"I'm just joking. Please, I know the books he'd being looking for anyway," Rory practically begged.

"Fine," Lorelai navigated the jeep to the correct exit, "but you only have one hour. And if your not at the front of the story by that time I'm commandeering the overhead speakers at telling embarrassing stories about you to the entire store" Lorelai playfully threatened.

"You're not coming in?" Rory questioned.

"I just have one quick errand to ran for the inn and then I'll join you," Lorelai promised.

With that Rory jumped out of the jeep and into her own personal heaven, a giant bookstore.

Lorelai headed to a drug store she had notice a few blocks back; she decided this was probably the safest place she could find to buy that particular item. She wandered around the store for a while and then found herself standing in the middle of the aisle she required just starring at the rows of boxes. This was something she had wanted so bad four years ago and now she extremely nervous it could be true. Although Rory was an unexpected blessing, she had kind of thought any other kids she might have would be more of expected blessings. Lorelai kept having flashbacks to all the reactions she got the first time she told everyone she was pregnant: her parent's freaking out, dropping out of school, a terrible proposal, and finally Chris running for the hills. She quickly grabbed a box, paid for it, and headed back to the bookstore.

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When they first got home Rory placed her giant pile of books on the table, while Lorelai journeyed to the kitchen to discover what the terrific smell was.

"Hey, you," Lorelai greeted Luke a little surprised to see him home so early, "What are you making?"

"Chicken soup," Luke looked away from his cooking, "you look better."

"Why are you making chicken soup?" Lorelai asked.

"I just thought it might making you feel better," Luke honestly answered,

"You take such good care of me," Lorelai moved to hug her husband.

"Somebody has too," Luke said moving in the kiss her. Lorelai all too willing gave in and they continued until Rory interrupted them several minutes later.

"Geez guys, get a room," Rory teased.

"We have a whole house full," Luke answered, "What do you need?"

"I'm starving. When can we eat?" Rory asked.

"Jess went to deliver a cd to Lane, while her mom is at bible study. He said something about hiding it the salad in her takeout bag. We'll eat when he gets back," Luke explained.

"Cool. As you were," Rory turned to her room.

"Well, you heard her," Lorelai pulled at Luke's collar.

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After dinner three out of the four family members grabbed a book from Rory's pile. Rory and Jess shared the couch, while Luke collapsed in his armchair. This gave Lorelai the opportunity to sneak upstairs and use her drug store purchase.

Two hours later Lorelai was still just starring at the little plastic stick she was holding in her hand; it had taken her thirty minutes after the timer had gone off to even focus her eyes on the results. Lorelai didn't truly move until she heard Luke's familiar footsteps on the stairs.

"So Rory and Jess decided to go to bed since this morning started a little early for all of us, and the fact that swim team starts tomorrow at six o'clock," Luke explained while he took off his watch and lay it on the dresser. "Are you ok? You look like you've been crying," he asked as he moved to kneel before her placing one hand on her knee while the other pushed back a lock of hair.

Lorelai tried to talk but nothing came out, so she just handed Luke the test she had been sitting on. Luke looked at it a minute before he realized what he was holding; he was about to speak when Lorelai finally found her voice.

"I'm pregnant. Crazy right! I mean it's been four years since we talked about this; two since we pretty much gave it up. And now when our house is already full of teenagers with growing expenses, it happens. How are we going to afford three kids, especially if Rory and Jess get into Chilton? We've spent the last six months taking educational, psychological, social, and abstract tests for that stupid school. Not to mention the pages of financial support you've been pouring over. This is terrible timing," Lorelai ranted finally stopping to take a deep breath. She looked over at Luke, who had been watching her pace; he had a huge smile on his face.

"Your crazy you know that," Luke said pulling Lorelai into a hug, "This is good."

"Really?" Lorelai questioned looking at his face. To be honest he was bigger worrier in the relationship.

"Yes," Luke answered firmly, "True it's not perfect timing, but who cares. We're going to have a baby."

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Luke woke up at five the next morning with Lorelai still in his arms. They had stayed up late the night before talking about the newest family development. During which time they had concocted some version of a plan. Lorelai was going to call the doctor's that morning for a more official test and blood work; she didn't want to tell Rory or Jess until she known everything was healthy. As much as Luke and Lorelai had tried to shelter them, Rory and Jess knew more about their pregnancy trials a few years back than they were comfortable with. It wasn't a fun roller coaster they had ridden.

Luke kissed Lorelai on the forehead and went to wake Jess and Rory up to get them to the Litchfield pool by six. This was the first summer the kids would be in the earliest drills, fifteen-eighteen practiced at six; although they weren't fifteen yet, they had left the eleven-fourteen group in the dust last year. Litchfield didn't have one of the stronger fields in the area. The plan was for Luke to drop them of at six and Lorelai would pick them up before work at or before eight.

"Don't drown," Luke instructed Rory and Jess as he dropped them off.

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Later that day Jess and Rory were helping Lane write a bible story play for the church's vacation bible school program; or at least that's want they told Mrs. Kim. However, they had written the entire thing in the first thirty minutes, and were now in the diner's office listen to evil rock and roll music and talking about their plans for the summer.

Lorelai came into the diner on her lunch break, "Ten o'clock Wednesday morning."

"Wow, that was fast," Luke, responded automatically poured Lorelai her usual cup of coffee for which he received a weird look from Lorelai. "Oh ya, decaf?" he asked taking the first cup away.

"Probably a good idea," Lorelai groaned.

"Here. How did you get an appointment so quickly?" Luke asked leaning in so he wouldn't be over heard.

"Cancellation, I think," Lorelai answered him giving him a kiss to disguise his inward movements.

"So what to we tell Rory and Jess?" Luke asked.

"Have your lying skills any since the last time you tried?" Lorelai teased.

"I'm not that bad," Luke defended.

"Yes you are," Lorelai laughed thinking of the last time he had lied.

"Fine, you tell them something and I'll just nod in agreement," Luke conceded.

"What do I tell them? " Lorelai asked pretty much as clueless as Luke.

"Vicious circle," Luke answered before leaving her to end to the rest of his customers.

_Lorelai watched Luke walk around the diner remembering the first years of our relationship when she had work there too. Both of their financial situations and time restraints left much to be desired for a young growing relationship. While they were dating some of their best time "alone" was during lulls of the diner on the weekends. Most weekends Mia would drop Lorelai and Rory of at the diner on Friday night, they would have a movie night and sleep over, and the following morning Lorelai would help Luke open. Rory and Jess loved the time they got to spend together. Luke was grateful for the help; he worked many hours alone throughout the week to save money. Lorelai was happy for the extra money and the time spent with the man she was quickly falling in love with. She worked at the diner until her ascension to junior manager at the inn, about a year and a half into her marriage. This promotion meant a raise and no more mopping duty; however, she was now responsible for working most Saturdays because of weddings and other meetings. It wasn't until days like this when see realized she missed the simplicity of her earlier career._

"What?" Luke asked again noticing her eyes following him around.

"I love you," Lorelai answered.

"I love you, too," Luke replied smiling at his lovely bride.

_Walking around the back of the counter Luke thought back to the first time she had blurred those words out to him. I was about six months after they had started dating; they were in the diner during the lull between lunch and dinner when she walked right over to him as he was counting receipts, took them out of his hands, and started kissing him like their was no tomorrow. Being that they rarely found anytime "alone" together, Luke willingly gave in to her bold proposition. They sank behind the counter, so as not to be caught by the prying eyes of the town. And just as things were getting really heated and clothes were clearly an unwanted obstacle, they heard foot stairs coming from upstairs. They quickly righted themselves smoothing their clothes out before the kids reached the curtain. Rory and Jess grabbed the chessboard that was hidden behind the counter and went back upstairs without saying anything to the guilt-ridden adults. _

"_This isn't far," Lorelai said after they were out to ear shot, "I should be able to more than make out with the man I love without feeling so dam guilt."_

"_What did you say?" Luke asked a little unsure he had heard her correctly._

_Just then Lorelai realized what she had blurred out so easily, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to freak you out you don't have to say anything…" she started to ramble._

_Luke put his hand over her mouth to stop her from going any farther, "I love you, too."_

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The next evening Lorelai told Rory and Jess some story about needing to replace a few bathroom fixtures at the inn and Luke was going to help her pick out the most environmental responsible model the following morning. So after swim practice Luke and Lorelai went off on their errand leaving Jess and Rory at the house.

"Something is up," Rory told Jess, once the adults had driven off.

"What was your first clue Sherlock," Jess crassly remarked.

"Don't you want to know?" Rory asked.

"Sure," Jess shrugged enjoying Rory distress.

"You can't fool me with that nonchalant attitude, I know your just as curious as I am," Rory countered.

Just like that all of Jess's defenses fell, "Do you have a plan?"

"No, I was hoping you did," Rory cringed.

"Let's start with the regular hiding placing," Jess started, "You hit your mom's chest drawers and I'll check the high cabinet's in the kitchen."

Thirty minutes later they meant back in the living room to discuss what they had found. "So?" Rory asked.

Jess just shrugged, "Maybe we're reading them wrong, and they're really just going to look at low water pressure toilets."

"You think my mom has been freaking out the last couple days because of suck-y toilets," Rory was getting annoyed.

"Well its better than anything else running through my head," Jess started to rant, "Of course it could be bad: like just about anything to do with your dad or my mom, that stupid expense private school, or something's really wrong with my uncle or your mom." When he finished he realized that Rory was on the verge of tears. "I'm sorry, Rory; It's probably nothing," he tried a little late now.

"No, your right," Rory quietly answered, "What's the most logical case?"

For the next hour Jess and Rory wrote down every odd thing that had happened in the last month around the house trying to figure out the mystery. However, even these two smart teenagers couldn't decipher what was going on without a few more facts, so they resorted to waiting on the couch for Luke and Lorelai to come home. When they did finally arrive at home the kids practically attacked them.

"So did you find a good toilet?" Jess asked trying to lighten the tension that seemed to over take the room.

"What?" Lorelai questioned back momentarily forgetting her own lie.

"The environmental responsible low water pressure toilets you were looking at," Rory explained getting more nervous by the second.

"Oh yea, the toilets," Lorelai answered, "Yes found a great model just what we needed. The royal flush-inator"

"Bull shit," Jess retorted.

"Jess," Luke reprimanded, "Language."

"Well your lying to us," Rory defended Jess.

"We want to know what's going on," Jess demanded.

"Is it dad, aunt Liz, Chilton, Grandma, Grandpa?" Rory started asking before either Luke or Lorelai could start explaining.

"I'm pregnant," Lorelai said while Rory took a breath.

"What?" Rory and Jess said in unison.

_**Good Friday, Good News, Right!**_

**I'm just incredible sappy and melodramatic this week, sorry. I promise to go watch some movie where people just kick each others' asses and get back to you. Hope you're still happy though. I do plan to have other flashbacks showing what has happened in the last eight years; I just want them to make at least a little sense and flow through the story ok. In my head, I know how they got engaged and married, first trip to the Gilmores', and a few other scenes I'd like to put in. Ok!**

**(And for those who suck at math or just in case I messed up again…Luke and Lorelai have been married for almost six years and dated for almost two before this.)**

**Anyway… please, pretty please review my story. **


	3. Chapter 3: Home is

_**To catch up:**_

"We want to know what's going on," Jess demanded.

"Is it dad, aunt Liz, Chilton, Grandma, Grandpa?" Rory started asking before either Luke or Lorelai could start explaining.

"I'm pregnant," Lorelai said while Rory took a breath.

"What?" Rory and Jess said in unison.

**Chapter 3: Home is…**

"So I guess that subtle speech you were working on in the jeep isn't going to be necessary now," Luke said looking at Lorelai.

"Guess not," Lorelai shrugged, "Ok, guys say something."

"Is everything ok?" Rory quietly asked.

"Yes," Lorelai smiled.

After that confirmation Rory threw her arms around her mom. When Rory finally let go she started bombarding them with question "So tell us everything. How long have you known? Is this why you've been a little off the last couple days? When were you going to tell us?"

Lorelai moved to sit down to finish this inevitably long conversation. "Sunday night, yes, and yes," she smirked.

"Mom," Rory whined.

"Fine," Lorelai tried to look annoyed, but couldn't disguise the huge smile on her face. While Lorelai and Rory started going into the most minuet details of the event Jess stunk out of the living room. When he did not come back within the next couple of minutes Luke went to find him.

"What's up with you? " Luke asked entering the kitchen.

"Nothing," Jess groused.

"Jess?" Luke asked again.

"How long?" Jess asked.

"Until what?" Luke was already lost in Jess's train of thought.

"Until you sent me back to my mom. I know she's doing a lot better. Liz has been the same apartment for the last six months and a steady job for the last year. And it's pretty obvious you'll need the room. I just need to know how much time I have to pack," Jess ranted, putting his wall of protection back up.

"You're not going anywhere; unless you want to," Luke started to explain to the teen, "We'll figure the space thing out later."

"Really?" Jess asked still a little unsure about his uncle's promise.

"When have I lied to you… successfully," Luke added, "Now go." Luke playfully shoved Jess's head in the direction of the living room.

Jess got up to leave, "Uncle Luke," he turned back into the kitchen, "Thanks."

Luke took the seat Jess had vacated looking towards the room in question.

_In April 1993, Babette was talking to Lorelai in the diner about her neighbors. Apparently the very old couple, Mr. and Mrs. Garrett, had finally been convinced to move by their grown children; they had been struggling alone in the house for the last five years. The couple's children tried to help as much as they could, but they had their own houses, families, and jobs that took up most of their time. Babette was general sad about the loss her fellow gnome collectors; however she had alterior motives for mentioning this house vacancy to Lorelai. The town had long ago decided that Luke and Lorelai should make their relationship more official, but after the trouble they had created last summer they decided to take a more hands off/ bystander role in the couple's life. Or at least they were more careful about not being caught. This is how Luke and Lorelai found themselves having dinner with Morey, Babette, and the Garretts later that week. After an extremely interesting chose of meal and even odder conversion, Luke and Lorelai found themselves on a tour of the old couple's house. It had started out innocent enough Mrs. Garrett wanting to show Babette the new roses blooming in her side yard, and before they knew it the two neighbors we're talking closest space. _

"_I think we've been tricked," Lorelai whispered to Luke half through the tour._

"_No," Luke retorted, "What was your first clue, Sherlock?"_

_However, by the end to the tour Lorelai had seemed to come around, and smiled at Luke as they walked back to Mrs. Kim's to pick up Rory and Jess and feed them a proper meal._

"_You like it don't you?" Luke asked with this arm around her shoulder._

"_Yes, it had a good vibe," Lorelai continued ignoring Luke's cringe when she used the word 'vibe', "I could see myself on a couch in the living room watching a movie or making out with my hunky boyfriend," Lorelai answered, "I know it crazy; I'm still light years away from affording a house of my own," with that Lorelai plopped her head on Luke's shoulder._

"_Maybe we could," Luke whispered quietly in her ear._

"_Lucas Danes are you asking me to buy a house with you?" Lorelai asked amazed at what she had just heard._

"_Maybe," Luke simply answered with a smile creeping to his face. He wanted to ask her much more than, but hadn't thought of the right way yet. "But only if you want to."_

_Lorelai grabbed his cheeks and started kissing him hard right in front of the antique store, a display Mrs. Kim had yet to forgive them for. Lorelai was more in love with this wonderful man than she had ever thought possible. "It going to need a lot of work, and it's doesn't even have enough rooms. And it's probably still out of our price range."_

"_Well get a loan, built a room on, and fix the most important things first," Luke answered as if it were a forgone conclusion still holding her close._

"_So were buying a house," Lorelai said again with a huge smile on her face still unable to believe what had changed in the last two hours._

"Luke," Lorelai called from the living room bringing him out of his fog.

_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

The next two weeks went pretty quietly, Jess had come around to the idea of the addition after being promised he wasn't being traded in and wouldn't lose his space. Furthermore, Luke and Lorelai had decided not to tell the town or family until the critical 12-week mark was met. This would put the announcement about the week of July 4th. Despite this decision the townies' couldn't help but read into the smiles on the family's faces and Lorelai's absence at many breakfast meals. The rumors and whispered had reached fever pitch when something else distracted them, temporarily. The foursome residence, whose mailbox was too small for the number of last names that lived within the house, received two rather important letters from Chilton. The two separate letters both of the same size and likely held the same information.

_**To the parents of:**_

_**Lorelai Leigh Gilmore**_

_**To the parents of:**_

_**Jess Mariano **_

Lorelai was the first one to discover the letters innocently pilled with the rest of the mail wedged between a People's magazine and the electricity bill. It's like the letters didn't know how important they were. Lorelai stared at the type on the envelopes until she couldn't see straight; the longer she looked the more important and impressive the font on the front even seemed. She desperately wanted to know Rory and Jess's fate; however, she couldn't help feel a little guilty opening the letters alone. Lorelai stared at the VCR clock, "Ok, they have five more minutes or I'm opening these babies," she said to no one in particular.

**Sorry for the wait! I've been having a little struggle with this chapter. I wrote the first 800-900 words and then froze not quite sure where to go next. Also I have so many tests this week its not even funny, so my free time to write and be creative is severely limited. (Really I have: 2 medium level tests, 2 huge stupid lab practicals (or finals), and 2 huge tests in biochem. and human phys.). And if that wasn't enough, I've been trying to upload this chapter for the last two days (I kept getting an error notice). Anyway… I hope you enjoy this quick and fairly short update. I have many plans for the future; I just need more time to deliver them correctly. Please have patience with me. I hope to write and update again next weekend (Saturday or Sunday) when I again have time to breathe. **

**Please, pretty please review. (However I beg of you to be nice, I'm really stressed and in need of sleep and a real break). Thanks for reading. **


	4. Chapter 4: Genius or insane

**Chapter 4: Genius or insane…**

Ten minutes later, Lorelai was still just staring at the letters; she had opened the seal on both of the envelopes but hadn't convinced herself to read either letter. "I shouldn't do this alone," Lorelai started bargaining with herself; well I'm not completely alone, "What do you think I should do?" she asked her still flat stomach.

"Fun thing is that wouldn't surprise me even if you weren't pregnant," Luke remarked from behind the couch.

"Why should it; I think she talked to her stomach more before," Jess retorted.

"Where have you been?" Lorelai asked exasperated jumping up from the couch.

"Work," Luke dryly replied.

"Whatever…open, open," Lorelai replied thrusting the letters into Jess and Rory's empty hands.

"Isn't it already open," Rory said looking at the envelope in her hands. Then saw the return address, "AAAHHH! I can't open this," shoving the letter back into her mom's hands, "You do it."

"What's the big deal?" Luke asked taking the letter from Lorelai, "Oh!"

"I got in," Jess said fairly quietly. During Rory's freak out he had retrieved his letter from inside the open envelope and read that important first sentence. "Well?" he looked at Rory expectantly.

Rory slowly took the letter from Luke's offering hand; slowly she removed the letter and started to read.

"If I'm ever dying remember me not to call you for help," Jess groan.

"So in the case of your imminent death. When you forget that vow, do you want her just to remind you of this moment and then hangs up on you and let you die or, forgive and forget, and call for an ambulance?" Lorelai teasingly asked Jess.

"Either way she'll be partially responsible for my death," Jess continued to debate Lorelai.

"If you too are done," Rory remarked about the argument going on around her.

"No, but we can take a break for a minute," Jess generously offered.

"Thank you, " Rory smiled, "I got in, too."

"I think now would be a time for one of those spontaneous sappy family hugs only seen of family television shows," Lorelai exclaimed, "Gather round."

"Doesn't it lose some of its spontaneity if you have to order it," Jess asked.

"No," Lorelai answered in her "duh" voice.

"Sorry, I'm with Jess on this one mom," Rory agreed.

"Traitor," Lorelai accused her daughter.

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Later that night:

"So have you looked at any of this fine print on their letters," Luke asked, Lorelai, as she got ready for bed.

"No. Do they hold the secrets of how to take over the world?" Lorelai asked.

"I'm begging you try the news, sports, anything but reruns of 'Pinky and the Brain' on the cartoon network," Luke pleaded.

"And you even know the name," Lorelai leaned in to kiss him quite impressed.

"Well, there was a time a few years back when the three of you would continually sing that stupid theme song," Luke groaned at the memory.

"Oh yea!" Lorelai smiled deviously, "How did had go?"

"Please don't," Luke leaned back hitting his head on the headboard.

"They're Pinky and the Brain, Yes Pinky and the Brain, one is a genius the other's…" Lorelai paused, "Now what is it… inane, so vain, mundane, running a campaign."

"Insane," Luke supplied.

"Thanks honey," Lorelai kissed him again for playing along. "So what were you talking about before?"

"Just the extra admission fee they mention. I don't remember reading about it in the official applications or any of the tuition information supplied by the school for that matter," Luke started to sound stressed.

"Well then it's probably not a big deal," Lorelai tried to downplay the newest cost in their life.

"Maybe not to most of the people at that school," Luke scoffed, "But we have two teenagers, one future thing, and no where near the money that school expects."

"Pessimistic much," Lorelai teased; this had kind of become her code to tell him to tone it down.

"Sorry, now that they're in I'm just worried about the scholarships and grants we applied for; I don't want to tell them we can't afford their schooling," Luke answered very honestly.

"Can't we just pick our favorite and that one gets to go?" Lorelai tried.

"Please tell me your joking?" Luke quietly questioned his wife.

"Of course," Lorelai hit Luke chest for thinking anything else, "So what do we do for now?"

"Just wait I guess," Luke replied pulling Lorelai into a hug.

"I hate waiting," Lorelai mumbled into his chest.

"I know," Luke kissed the top of her head, "Me too."

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_1993: _

_Luke and Lorelai were sitting at the kitchen table in the apartment looking over the loan applications and other paper work required to buy a house. They hadn't started until Rory and Jess had fallen asleep. Luke figured things should be more official before they got the kids hopes up too. _

"_So do you think this is going to work?" Lorelai asked Luke._

"_Honestly, I have no idea. I've only ever sold my parents house, so I have no insight into buying one," Luke answered._

"_That's something," Lorelai tried._

"_Right," Luke scoffed, "Everything thing depends on if we get the loan?"_

"_So until then?" Lorelai questioned._

"_We wait," Luke quietly explained._

"_I hate waiting," Lorelai stated dropping her head onto her crossed arms on the table._

"_I know," Luke reached out to caress her head._

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1999:

The next day Lorelai was working at the front desk when Michele answered an unexpected call.

"It's for you," Michele said in his condescending accentuated tone, "However, I feel I should remember you about the rules concerning personal calls at work."

"Thanks Michele," Lorelai faked gratitude while reaching for the phone. "Hey babe."

"What kind of greeting is that?" Emily Gilmore voice rang over the phone lines.

"Mom, did I give you this number, 'cause I don't remember giving you this number," Lorelai questioned her mother.

"Last Christmas," Emily answered her impatience audible.

"Yeah, well, I must be losing my mind," Lorelai said quickly.

"What was that?" Emily asked not quite sure she had heard her daughter's last remark correctly.

"Nothing," Lorelai brushed it off, "What can I help you with?"

"Just wanted to know if Rory has heard from Chilton yet. Bitty told me they normally send out letters this week, so Rory should be hearing back soon," Emily actually sounded excited.

"Yes, Rory and Jess have heard back from Chilton; we received the letters yesterday, " Lorelai quickly answered, "But more importantly how do you know anything about this?"

"Well it was quite embarrassing, the subject came up at my last symphony fundraising committee meeting, and Bitty informed be she had seen the name Gilmore floating around one of Hanlin's piles from school. I, of course, was mortified to be told by a friend and not from the source itself; however, that cannot be changed now, along with so many other things," Emily finished.

"Wow, that may be one of your faster segways into your disapproval of everything Lorelai," Lorelai retorted.

"Would you please just tell me if Rory has heard from Chilton?" Emily asked again.

"Why don't you ask one of your sources?" Lorelai questioned back.

"Lorelai, stop acting like a children. You are just upset that I found out about something that is happening in your life before you wanted me too," Emily started to psychoanalyze Lorelai latest remark.

"Fine, Mom you win. Rory and Jess BOTH received their acceptance letters," Lorelai stressed.

"Thank you, Lorelai. Now was that so hard?" Emily politely stated, "I call you back with the celebration plans later."

"What?" Lorelai yelled into the phone as Emily hung up.

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"And then she said 'celebration plans'," Lorelai explained the whole conversion to Luke at the diner for lunch.

"What's so bad about that?" Luke said bluntly.

"Have you learn nothing," Lorelai exclaimed, "My mother saying 'party or celebration' is the equivalent to Robot yelling, "Danger Will Robinson!"

"You do know that they only actual said that once in the show. Most of the time the Robot just exclaimed 'danger or warning'," Luke explained. Lorelai just stared at him for a moment. "What I know things," Luke smirked at her silence; this was his second favorite way to make her speechless.

"I know you do, my little science geek," Lorelai smiled. Luke glared. "Big science geek," Lorelai tried giggling at her own double meaning.

"Lorelai," Luke growled.

"Yes, Lukey," Lorelai innocently answered.

"Go back to work," Luke stated as calmly as he could. Lorelai just sat there pouting. "You're three," Luke replied to her latest argument.

"But you love me," Lorelai teased him.

"You bet," Luke answered in total honesty.

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Later that night while Luke and Jess were closing the diner, Lorelai was reliving her talk with Emily Gilmore yet again; however, this time her captive audience was Rory.

"Mom don't you think your being just a little dramatic?" Rory asked from the other side of the couch.

"No," Lorelai replied.

"Even when you described grandma reaching through the phone and physically forcing a confession out of you?" Rory questioned.

"Totally happened," Lorelai nodded, "Ask Michele he was there?"

"Okay, but Luke going to be sorely disappointed that all the self defense he taught us couldn't even save you from Grandma," Rory tried to remain serious; however, both girls succumb to giggles.

The phone ringing was the only thing that brought them back down to earth. Rory was the first to move.

"Don't answer it," Lorelai pleaded.

"When has Grandma ever called you back this fast," Rory bargained while picking up the phone before her mother could argue. "Hello," Rory greeted the other person on the line, "Oh, hi Grandma," after which she mouthed the words sorry to her mom on the couch, who had already dropped back and looked about ready to scream into a pillow.

"Yea, I'm excited," Rory politely answered her Grandma question, "I'm just glad we both got in."

"Yes, I'm sure you are," Emily cleared her throat, "Is your mother there?"

"I'll go get her," Rory replied to the request handing the phone over the Lorelai.

"Hi mom," Lorelai greeted in her best fake enthusiastic voice.

"Hello Lorelai, I have the greatest plans for Rory's celebration," Emily sounded way to excited for anything good to come out of her mouth next.

**Okay, so I'm kind of proud of this chapter; it's a little funny (if I do say so myself!). Or at least I hope it is or comes of that way (and the pessimism is back; that was a few couple of seconds of pride). Thanks for reading!  
**

**Disclaimer: (1) I used a very little bit of dialogue from season 1 episode 2 and a line based on a line from a friends episode season 7 or 8.   
**

**(2)About Michele, I'm not saying every French accent is condescending, but I think we can agree his definitely is. Personally I have a think for accents or at least strong speaking voices, but you didn't want to know that… so I'll move on.**

**Anyway… Please, pretty please review! Even though I know many of your email updates aren't working.**


	5. Chapter 5: Danger, Danger

**Chapter 5: Danger, Danger…**

"As you know your father and I use the summer months on occasion to travel, and because of your grandmother's prior engagements our schedule has been extended," Emily began.

"Yes," Lorelai hesitantly replied.

"Well we have secured a lovely home in Martha Vineyard for the last part of June and the month of July. It is a very sought after property; however, we planned well and so can enjoy our summer in pleasure. Everyone we know will be there; it is truly the place to be this summer," Emily sounded too pleased with the prospect.

"That's great mom, but what does this have to do with us?" Lorelai asked.

"I thought it would be obvious by now; my plans are for you and your 'family' to come join us for July fourth weekend. It will be a perfect time for us to celebrate and Rory could meet some of her future classmates in a more relaxed setting," Emily explained as if she had just found the cure for some deadly disease.

"No," was all that could escape Lorelai lips.

"And why not?" Emily demanded to know, "What is more important than family and your daughter?"

"Nothing is more important to me than my family and that is why we can't go. We have our own traditions and plans for the summer; not to mention jobs," Lorelai started to rant prompting Rory to come back into the room.

"Lorelai, I am well aware of the your job and some of these ghastly activities you call traditions. However, I implore you to think of your daughter; she needs to make the right connections and get a proper start at Chilton. I also believe you are well aware that your father and I are in a much better position to help her with those things than you are," Emily finished.

Lorelai sat there in silence for a moment her pride and spirit fighting the logical part of her brain; she thought back to what Luke had said about tuition and other costs the night more and about this new thing they needed to tell Richard and Emily about. "Fine," Lorelai answered very quietly.

"What did you say?" Emily asked quite surprised at what she had thought she heard.

"Tell me when and where," Lorelai cringed.

For the next thirty minutes Emily went on and on about where they were staying, who was around them, and what the plans for activities were. By the end of the call, Lorelai had talked her mother down to three days and four nights with them arriving July 3. Rory sat in the chair across from her mother listening to the whole call desperate to know what exactly was being decided.

"So?" Rory asked as soon as her mother put the phone down.

"We're going to Martha's Vineyard for July fourth weekend," Lorelai tried to sound as casual as she could under the circumstances.

"What?" Rory started to mirror her mom's freak out earlier that evening, "What about the picnic? All the townies? Swimming at the lake? Kirk nakedness? We've never missed it; even when Jess and I had the chicken poxes went for a little while."

"You're going to miss seeing Kirk naked?" Lorelai questioned her daughter, "Because I will never condone that relationship, I'm sorry."

"Mom that's not the point. The point is we've never missed a picnic. Why do we have to start now?" Rory started debating her mother.

"Because this year is different," Lorelai explained, "This is your last summer as a public school girl. This is the last summer they'll only be four people in this house. This might be our last summer in this house. Things are going to change. We might not like all of them right now, but we have to try to deal with them."

"Mom are you ok?" Rory asked after her mom's fairly dramatic speech, "It's ok; I like to travel remember. I just don't know what Luke and Jess are going to say?" Rory teased.

"Oh crap, we have to tell them too don't we?" Lorelai laughed through the tears she didn't know had fallen.

"Probably would be a good idea," Rory figured, "However, surprising them with trip and just throwing their stuff in the back of the jeep does have it perks."

Lorelai started laughing at the site of Luke and Jess freaking out in her head, "I love kid."

"I love you too, Mom," Rory answered, "But maybe you should go get some rest you look a little tried."

"Is that your nice way of telling me I look like crap?" Lorelai questioned.

"Yes," Rory got up to go back to reading her book.

"Mean," Lorelai retorted heading to the stairs to at least change out of your work clothes. Her skirt had been annoying her all day; unzipping just a little every time she had to bend down and get something.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that night Luke quietly creped around the master bedroom trying to get ready for bed without waking Lorelai up, who had been asleep since before he got home. Rory had told him something was up, but wouldn't admit to anything more than that. As he lied down he immediately felt arms sneak around him.

"Hold me," Lorelai whispered against he chest.

Luke didn't hesitant wrapping arms his arms around her warm form, but couldn't help but wonder what could have brought on such a demure mood on from Lorelai. "Lorelai, what's wrong?"

"My mother called this evening," Lorelai quietly started.

"Already," Luke surprised lifted his head from his pillow to gauge Lorelai reactions.

"And invited us to spend Fourth of July weekend with them out at Martha's Vineyard," Lorelai continued to explain.

"And?" Luke prompted the end of this story.

"We leave of July 3rd," Lorelai quickly spit out.

"So were spending the weekend with your parents, who hate me and Jess, know we can't afford Chilton, and don't know your pregnant?" Luke summed up the facts.

"Yes?" Lorelai replied.

"Terrific!" Luke groaned.

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The next week and a half went all to fast for everyone concerned. Luke had told Jess, who had already mean given a heads up by Rory, about the new summer plans the night after finding out himself; he took it the change as well as everyone else did. To ease the pain of the weekend, Luke had hoped some of the scholarship money would have been designated before they left, but not such luck. They were in the same place they were when they found out about Rory and Jess's acceptance.

Today was the morning they that to drive themselves to hell; I mean Martha Vineyard. Needless to say the crew wasn't exactly fast moving; it took them three hours just to shower, get dressed, and pack the car. By the time, they were all in the Jeep and starting down the road it was after eleven.

"Bye house, I'll miss you," Lorelai waved at their locked up home.

And they were off, but vacations are supposed to be fun right?

**Ok so I know this was short, but it is just the start to a truly fun storyline. Luke, Lorelai, Rory, Jess, Richard, and Emily under the same roof for three whole days. Not to mention all the secrets being kept. So what so you think about Emily idea for a party? I'm not sure how many chapters they will be in Martha Vineyard, but I'm thinking at least two. Sound good? Anyway… Thanks for reading and review, review, review, PLEASE!!!!!!!**

**P.S. I just started a myspace page (I'm really late in the game I know); anyway… check it out if you want and be my friend!**


	6. Chapter 6: Dante lied

**Chapter 6: Dante lied**

"I think we've seen every bathroom or rest stop between here and Stars Hollow," Jess groaned from the back seat.

"Jess," warned looking at the smart mouth in the rear view mirror.

"Look I know she can't help most of it, but did you ever stop to think that there might be a pattern we she brought out her third big gulp," Jess tried his luck again.

"Yes I've seen the pattern," Luke turned around to talk.

"Sorry guys," Lorelai apologized jumping back in the jeep with Rory, "but we brought snacks so you wouldn't be mad," Lorelai said with a huge smile.

"It's not a drink is it?" Jess asked.

"Rory hit your cousin for me," Luke replied starting the jeep down the highway again.

"Ok," Rory shrugged and then proceeded to slug Jess in the arm.

"You didn't even ask why he wanted you to hit me?" Jess yelped rubbing his shoulder.

"Why would I question permission nay an order to physically scold you?" Rory proclaimed.

"Nay?" Lorelai questioned Rory chose of explanation.

"I thought I'd try it," Rory continued, "A little much?"

"Sorry kid; I just don't think there's a way to use 'nay' in a normal sentence without sounding pretentious or a little crazy," Lorelai ended as if the authority on the subject.

"Well you would know about sounding crazy," Jess muttered.

"Jess," Luke growled.

"Look guys we can't turn on each other. I get it your tense," Lorelai started looking at Luke set jaw and Jess's ever-present scowl, "however, being angry and snapping at each other won't help. This weekend is going to be hell and I can't handle anymore people not getting along."

"Sorry," Luke quietly apologized squeezing Lorelai's hand for a moment.

"Yea, sorry," Jess added.

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The jeep pulled up the driveway in front of a large house with a pristine garden on the east side of the lawn. The house looked very regal, like what you would picture the Kennedy's living in over the summer. The sides of the house were a perfect white disguising any character, life, or history this house probably had.

"Not the most friendly of places," Jess finally broke the silent that had consumed the jeep.

"Yea," Rory squeaked out from besides Jess. They continued to stare at the building for quite sometime. "We should probably go in at sometime," Rory tried her voice sounding a little stronger this time.

Five minutes later they were all standing at the front door; Luke had just rang the doorbell. The foursome looked as if they were there to greet their executioner. The door opened…

"Well that was dramatic enough. You are already two hours later. Did you really need to sit in that ugly vehicle staring at the house like a bunch of country hillbillies for that long? Yes, Lorelai I know. The maid announced that someone was coming up the drive over fifteen minutes ago. Do you have any thing to say for yourself?" Emily spat as she led them into the foyer of the house.

"Hi mom," Lorelai tried faking polite.

"Hello indeed," Emily returned the greeting if only because it a protocol and than turned her attention, "Rory, how was the trip did you enjoy the scenery? It is a beautiful drive at times."

"Actually Jess and I were reading most of the way here," Rory hesitated to explain.

"Oh well. You must put your book down long enough this weekend to enjoy some of the finer sites around the area," Emily smiled. The clock on the wall behind her then chimed the six o'clock toll. Emily then proceeded to explain the evening's plans without even greeting or even recognizing Luke or Jess's presence. "We are having dining with the Lewis's tonight at seven, so you do not have much time to change and freshen up," Emily continued, "you will need to dress nice Mr. Lewis is the committee for Yale applicants. Now quickly the maid will show you to your rooms."

"Do you think she'll let us share?" Luke whispered in Lorelai 's ear as they followed the maid up the first set of stairs with most of their luggage in tow.

"She better," Lorelai lay her head on Luke's shoulder as soon as they reached the second floor and their strides became steady again.

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Forty-five minutes later after a little soap and a lot of convincing Luke and Lorelai were again standing in the foyer ready to venture into through their next stage of hell. Dante only wrote of seven, but Lorelai was wondering if she'd discover an eighth on this trip.

"Wearing a suit to a dinner with complete strangers is not my idea of a fun vacation," Luke told Lorelai; he looked visible uncomfortable in his attire.

"Well at least yours fits; I should have tried this dress on before I packed it," Lorelai pulled at the middle of her dress again.

"I total you; it isn't noticeable," Luke tried again continuing there discussion from the bedroom they were sharing, "You look beautiful," his voice dropped as he whispered this in her ear.

"You don't look to bad yourself," Lorelai flirted back playing with the lapels on his jacket. He leaned down to kiss her just as Rory and Jess came down the stairs.

"Ah Geez, I thought we'd at least get a break from that," Jess groaned walking down the stairs with his tie loose around his neck.

"Don't complain, or I won't tie your tie for you," Lorelai warned turning to greet the kids on the stairs.

"Good then I won't wear it," Jess shot back.

"Yes, because that will make the evening go so much better," Rory stated from behind Jess.

Just then Emily joined the foursome in the foyer. "Rory you look very pretty," Emily remarked, "Lorelai I do believe that dress is a little small for you." Having been given the most awkward view of Lorelai's side as she was helping Jess with his tie. "Do you not have any clothes that properly fit you?"

Lorelai shot a look at Luke, who just looked apologetic, before she answered her mother. "Well you know Mom summer is just full of yummy snacks and food," Lorelai tried.

"Well it is a good thing I had a little shopping trip for us girls planned for tomorrow anyway," Emily explained, "that way you can pick up a few dresses that fit for the rest of your weekend here." With that she turned to retrieve Richard from the study from which he was conducting his business for the summer.

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The rest of the evening was very long. It did not seem to matter that they were there at the dinner at all. Richard and Mr. Lewis talked about the insurance business on the opposite side of the table for the entire meal. While Emily and Mrs. Lewis, or Vivian as she introduced herself, spoke of the latest meeting of the DAR. Very little was done to try to include the other adults at the table into the conversation.

However, as bad as that sounds Rory and Jess might have had it worse. They were left in the company of the Lewis's youngest daughter, Beverly, a brainwashed sophomore at Yale. It wasn't that she was unfriendly; on the contrary, she did everything she could to engage them in conversation. The problem was she did all these things very robotic; as if she had been repeating the same dry jokes and bullet points for conversation with every promising high school student her parents had force her to entertain.

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"Thank god that's over," Lorelai breathed unzipping the back of her dress as soon as they were safely behind the door of their bedroom in the house.

"No kidding," Luke agreed removing the more ignoring parts of his proper attire including his jacket, tie, and first three buttons of his dress shirt.

"You lied to me you know," Lorelai accused slipping into a comfortable part of pajama bottoms and a tight tank top.

"I didn't lie; I just didn't notice," Luke defended himself.

"Right, you see more of me than anyone," Lorelai continued, "How could you not notice my dress was so tight? I'm turning into a fat pig, and you don't even care!"

"Do you really want me to care?" Luke laughed at her line of questioning, while changing into a pair of sweat pants and a tight t-shirt.

"No. Yes I don't know," Lorelai got lost in her own argument; "I just really don't want to go shopping with my mother tomorrow. No good can come of it."

"Well at least to don't have to play golf with your dad, Mr. Lewis, and a few other gentlemen from the club tomorrow," Luke offered.

"Where's Jess going to be?" Lorelai asked noticing he was absent from Luke list.

"He's coming to the club with us; he just doesn't know it yet," Luke groaned.

"Well good luck telling him," Lorelai stated hoping into the huge king size bed in the middle of the room, "Do you even know how to play golf?"

"I took a course in summer school but I accidentally hit Kent Calida in the head with a driver and got asked to leave, but I think I remember the basics. Grab the club, whack a ball. I'll fake it," Luke explained

"Luke –" Lorelai sounded a little worried.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Luke reassured.

"And everyone else," Lorelai teased.

"Very funny," Luke retorted turning off the lights and slipping into bed.

"I thought so," Lorelai finished smuggling up to her wonderful husband, "Have I told you how sorry I am about all this recently?"

"Yes," Luke groaned, "you can stop apologizing."

"Have I told you that I love you?" Lorelai tried again.

"You know I don't believe I've heard that today," Luke replied.

"Ok," Lorelai yawned into his chest.

"All that build up and that's all you have to say," Luke pretended to be hurt and tried to turn away from Lorelai; however she was practically on top of him before he could.

Lorelai kissed him passionately and muttered, "I love you," before there lips were entirely apart; it was as if they were sharing the words. Before Luke could repeat the sentiment Lorelai lips captured his again. They continued to kiss as Luke rolled them over, so he was hovering over her. Everything was copasetic until Lorelai hands moved a little farther south than Luke was comfortable with in her parents' house.

"What are you doing?" Luke hissed in her ear.

"I thought it would be obvious by now," Lorelai looked him straight in the eye.

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1991: November-ish

_On their third month anniversary Luke arranged for Mia to take care of Rory and Jess for the evening, so he and Lorelai could have a romantic evening together. After an expensive dinner and romantic walk through some of the less aggravating parts of Harford the couple was on their way back to Stars Hollow. Luke didn't know what to expected having received nothing more than extra temping kisses from Lorelai thus far; however, they never seemed to be alone for more than a minute or two at a time more days. So before the evening started he hadn't expected anything more than an enjoyable good night kiss or two. _

"_My shower hasn't been working for a couple of days would you mind looking at it for me?" Lorelai requested as they arrived back at the inn._

"_Sure," Luke agreed, wondering if she had any interest in him, rather than as a handyman, at all. Luke followed Lorelai in the small "cottage" removing his suit jacket and tie before starting to technical poke at her shower apparatus. Luke noticed that Lorelai hadn't send much since dinner, but he didn't quite know her well enough to know if that was a bad sign or not. "I'm pretty sure I fixed the shower head, but if that doesn't work I'll replace it for you later," Luke explained putting his tools back in his toolbox and making a move to get out of the tub._

"_Luke," Lorelai spoke in a tone so unfamiliar to him, he kind of stopped in his tracks standing straight back up in the middle of the tub. She quickly joined him standing in the tube; not saying another word she caught him in an unforgettable kiss. _

_Luke quickly reciprocated; however, he kept his hands to the side not wanting to cover Lorelai in the mess from her showers inner workings._

_Lorelai hands moved from his chest to around his neck and were about to venture into his hair when she finally noticed the absence of his own hands on her frame. "Something wrong?" She seemed to ask hesitantly._

"_No nothing wrong," Luke replied displaying one of his hands, "I just don't want to cover you in oil and grime."_

"_Ok," Lorelai reached around him to turn on the shower faucet. Then a steady stream of water started pouring on the couple. "Hey it worked," Lorelai remarked at the unusually powerful water pressure. _

_Luke just stared at her as the water ran down his body, "Are you crazy?" he questioned finally turning off the water and stepping out of the tub._

"_I'm sorry I just thought had was the romantic thing to do," Lorelai explained._

"_How did you think turning on the water would be romantic?" Luke asked stupefied._

"_I don't know," Lorelai started defending herself, "Most books and movies don't have a chapter about dirty handed make-out scenes."_

"_So you thought turning the water on would be the romantic thing?" Luke asked again starting to see the humor in the situation; she was just as clueless as he was sometimes._

"_Yes," Lorelai sheepishly replied knowing the change in his tone, "But in my defense the shower hasn't been working that well in weeks."_

_Luke laughed a bit and then moved in to push a piece of wet hair on her face back; she leaned into his movement. Luke's hand ran then ran through her hair and onto the back of her head pulling her closer to him. Their lips met in an intense rush of energy; meanwhile they slowly began to strip away at each other's wet clothes. _

_------------And the rest is for your imaginations (think dirty thoughts)--------------_

1999: Back in the king size bed (remember kissy kissy)

"We can't. It's your parents' house, and Rory and Jess are in the rooms on the other sides of us," Luke started to rant. Lorelai started to pout. "Sorry, no amount of pouting or hair flips in going to convince me to do 'that' while we're here."

"We'll see," Lorelai playfully pushed him from his post hovering over her.

**Ok, so the trip will probably be a couple more chapters; I hope that's ok. If it seems like I'm dragging things out to long just holler, "walk to Mount Doom." Yes Tolkien I'm calling you out!**

**So has everyone gotten a deluge of email from fan fiction in the last couple of days? Every story update I read and review written for the past two chapters from the past week or two have come in the past to days. Anyway this problem has taught me how important you guys are; I really love and appreciate your reviews. Hope you liked this chapter; I was going to write more yesterday, but I was bummed after the Mavs game (this has not been my week or semester for that matter). Moving on… please review, pretty please with lots and lots of sugar on top!**

**I'll try to update when I can; however, finals are in a week so no promises.**


	7. Chapter 7: Morning

**Chapter 7: Morning**

**Brilliantly immediately **

**Recap: Luke and Lorelai are married and having a baby, but no one knows but them and the teenagers (Rory and Jess). Rory and Jess have been best friends (and practically brother and sister) since the summer of 1991 and Jess has been living with Luke ever since that summer. As of right now our foursome find themselves at Lorelai's parents' vacation house in Martha's Vineyard celebrating Rory (and Jess's) acceptance into Chilton (a year earlier then the original story has it happening). If you really want to know more or have just totally forgotten this story (totally my fault my the way so don't feel bad) I recommend a reread and at least skim threw; it's not that long. Anyway… after a long absence on with the story…**

Luke lay tossing and turning on the queen size bed he and Lorelai were sharing; he just couldn't get comfortable. The humidity coming from the ocean was almost unbearable and the slight buzzing noise Lorelai was making in her sleep, which on any other night he found quite endearing, was driving him bananas. If he were at home he would have just ventured downstairs and watched whatever late night sports show or unique sport that was on ESPN at two in the morning. However, he wasn't at home; he was stuck in the middle of snooty town with the king and queen themselves. After about four more hours of little dozing (cat-napping one might say) Luke decided he couldn't handle these same four walls for much longer. He quietly got up and started dressing for an early morning run. Just as Luke pulled his t-shirt on, he heard a faint knock at the door. When Luke answered he saw that Jess had seemed to have the same idea. Jess stood in front of him fully dressing in running pants, track shoes, and a t-shirt at a little after 6 in the morning. Luke just looked at Jess in shock that he was voluntarily up, actually awake, and ready to run.

"What," Jess hissed clearly showing his lack of sleep as well.

"I didn't think I'd ever see the day," Luke joked closing the door to his and Lorelai's room. Jess just rolled his eyes at his uncle's reaction. The two men just stood there for moment or so having what Lorelai liked to describe as a 'Danes' male conversation.' They were just about to turn for the stairs when they heard Rory's door open to the left of where they were standing. Rory came out rubbing her eyes, her hair all a mess.

"Yes, sleeping beauty?" Luke asked Rory, the same way he had since she was young.

"Can I come?" Rory asked. She wasn't as fast as either Jess or Luke, but she liked spending time with her (live in) dad and brother.

"Two minutes," Luke answered as she quickly turned back into her room to change.

A few minutes later they were off.

"How are we going to know where to run or how to get back?" Rory started to ask as they started the run with a slow jog.

"Bread crumbs," Jess dryly replied.

"Are you sure that will work if weren't not in the woods?" Rory played along.

"Fewer animals to feast upon the crumbs," Jess retorted.

"What about the sea gulls?" Rory tried, "they look hungry."

"Then we'll follow the trail of bird poop and feathers back," Jess answered smugly.

"And end up at the nearest dump," Rory grimaced.

Luke, who had long since given up on breaking up all their arguments (some of which he might even admit were quite clever at times), just started running a little faster to try to escape the route this particular conversation was heading. He had found when they ran faster the teens had less energy and air to talk with.

"Wait up," came the call from a couple hundred yards back when Jess and Rory had realized that Luke had picked up the pace.

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Lorelai woke up at about 7:10 when her alarm went off. Lorelai remember her mother's morning rules, and there was no way she going to give her mother something else to nag her about this trip. She wasn't completely surprised to see Luke gone from his side of the bed being that most morning he was out the door before she even considered starting her day. However, Lorelai did begin to worry, that she'd woken up in a different dimension or worse her family that already had all of the Martha Vineyard they could stomach and ran away without her, when she didn't see anybody after her shower. Lorelai quietly crept down the stairs fully dress, but her hair was still partially wet. Her curious about the whereabouts of her family had beaten out her wish for a decent hair day. Lorelai was hoping she could look around the house without being spotted by her parents.

"Lorelai. Why on earth are you walking like that? Do you want to be hunchback when you're older? When you find your posture, your father and I have just started breakfast on the terrace," Emily greeted Lorelai at the bottom of the stairs.

Lorelai just groaned as she followed her mother to the side of the house with a view of the ocean; she felt about sixteen again following her mother around and keeping secrets. She quietly sat down at the table (in the middle to the left of her father and the right of her mother), which was set up remarkable like the one at their house in Hartford. Lorelai couldn't understand why they always liked to sit like this. At her house she always liked to sit as close to Luke as possible, on top of him was preferred, but Rory and Jess didn't appreciate that much.

After a few moments of silence her mother started to talk. "Richard. It's such a lovely morning don't you think?"

"Yes, dear," Richard answered without even looking up from his paper.

"When is your tee time today?" Emily tried again.

"11:15," Richard answered again from behind the paper.

"Don't you think the scones are divine, Richard," Emily continued trying to hind her annoyance.

"Very nice, dear," Richard replied.

"Lorelai. Where is Rory? I would think she'd be up by now. Should we go check on her?" Emily turned her attention on Lorelai.

"She's fine mom," Lorelai answered staring out at the ocean hoping her father tactics could work for her too.

"She should not sleep much longer; she'll need time to eat and get ready," Emily continued to press.

"Rory's pretty low maintenance," Lorelai tried to explain.

"Lorelai. We not going to your local piggy waggles. The stores we're going to expect a certain decorum to be met," Emily said quite loudly.

Lorelai was just about to answer her mother that she and her family were all too aware of the standards her and her precious store required when the three earlier morning runners returned soaking wet.

"Morning," was all that Luke gave as an explanation as he guided Jess and Rory inside to change after seeing the look Lorelai gave him.

**Sorry for the wait, I don't know if anyone is still interested in reading my story. I thought I'd just try this one chapter see if anyone cares and take it from there. Finals in May were terrible. The summer semester (stupid technical writing class) started with a bang (literally) my car was rear ended HARD. The second class (A+P) I took this summer involved a lab, which left little to no free time. The last week and a half I've been studying for a stupid math test. All this while bouncing around to different people houses watching there pets, plants, and security systems while they're on vacation. **

**Anyway… sorry for the rant, in short, I've been busy, had writer's block, and was in no mood to edit anything more, a deathly combination when trying to write a story. I'd love it if you left a review telling me what you thought or if I should continue. I have the next week free and I've honestly missed this. Whatever you choose thanks for reading.**


	8. Chapter 8: Survivor's log Day 1

**Thanks peoples; you guys are so nice and quite forgiving. Sorry the last chapter was so short; I was kind of just playing with the idea of starting the story up again. Honestly, didn't want to write a lot if no one cared or get to attached. My motivation for this chapter is quite random I just saw the Bourne Ultimatum (that movie kicks ass) and found myself trying to write a totally out of play fight scene into the shopping trip or snipers at the golf course. Anyway… that would have made for a very odd and out of place chapter.**

**Previously:**

"Lorelai. We not going to your local piggy waggles. The stores we're going to expect a certain decorum to be met," Emily said quite loudly.

Lorelai was just about to answer her mother that she and her family were all too aware of the standards her and her precious store required. When the three earlier morning runners returned soaking wet.

"Morning," was all that Luke gave as an explanation as he guided Jess and Rory inside to change after seeing the look Lorelai gave him.

**Chapter 8: Survivor's log Day 1**

"What the hell happened?" Lorelai asked Luke after following the soaking trio upstairs, so she didn't have to face the wrath of Emily alone.

"We went for a run," Luke tried removing his soaking wear shirt as he walked into their room.

"Really I never would have guessed with the track shoe and choice of outfit," Lorelai started getting louder, "You know I was just downstairs trying to defend you and Rory and Jess to my mother. She was remarking about the importance of decorum and the standards of the stores and people here and you three walk up soaking wet."

"Look about two-thirds of the way through the run Rory started getting really tired, so we slowed down. Honestly, then things got a little silly, somebody pushed somebody, and we end up doing a couple of laps in the ocean," Luke defended himself and the teens, "I still don't see what was so wrong with what we did."

"You wouldn't," Lorelai mumbled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Luke stood there in his soaked track pants staring at Lorelai.

"You didn't grow up with all these rules; this vanity and sense of superiority is very important to my parents," Lorelai said in a dark tone.

"Your right I'm just country idiot from small town, who could tell the difference between an original Picasso and some kids drawing," Luke yelled.

"That's not what I mean," Lorelai yelled back, "I don't think you're an idiot."

"That's what it sounds like to me," Luke shot back.

"Why are you yelling at me?" Lorelai asked quite loudly herself.

"Because you yelled at me first," Luke found himself saying and then had to laugh at his own argument, "Come here." He offered him arms open to a hug, which Lorelai accepted. "I'll try to remember to be more proper and I promise you, no more impromptu swims."

"Thank you," Lorelai said into his shoulder.

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About two hours later, Lorelai and Rory found themselves sitting in the backseat of Emily's car. Both of the girls felt terrible over dressed for shopping having been sent back upstairs twice when Emily hadn't approved of their outfits. Now that they were on their way Lorelai had a whole new worry, hiding her slightly swollen stomach. Lorelai just sat there in silence as her mother rattled of facts about Martha's Vineyard and some of their more prominent families in the area to Rory, who seemed to be listening quite contently.

As they were walking up to the first boutique Lorelai grabbed Rory's arm. "Kid I'm going to need your help today hiding you know who," Lorelai discreetly pointed at her stomach.

"Whom," Rory corrected.

"What?" Lorelai hissed a little bothered that Rory had forgotten her present state.

"It's 'you know whom'," Rory stated, "who is a subjective pronoun (subject of the side clause), and whom is the corresponding dative pronoun (an object of the side clause)."

"And this is important why?" Lorelai asked Rory when they reached the door.

"What are you girls whispering about?" Emily asked already feeling out of the loop.

"Grammar," Lorelai answered honestly.

"Fine don't tell me," Emily retorted indignantly.

"No it's true Grandma. I was explaining the difference between the usage of who and whom," Rory backed her mother explanation before her grandma walked away.

"She was doing her best impression of Ross," Lorelai joked.

"Who?" Emily asked totally lost by Lorelai's segway.

"Don't you mean whom?" Lorelai tried herself.

"No Lorelai I'm quite sure it's who," Emily answered quite annoyed by this time.

"Ross is a character on Frien… You know what lets just shop," Lorelai attempted to explain but decided to take the path of least resistance, at least this time. After that was settled Lorelai started looking around and let out a sigh of relief. She had lucked out apparently the fashion trends for this Fall were slightly loose fitting tops and empire waists. So with a lighter sense of dread Lorelai started shopping, "may be today doesn't have to be terrible," she thought.

-----------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile back at the private golf course Richard and Mr. Lewis, whose first name ended up being Eugene, Luke and Jess were trying their best to fit in wearing jeans and t-shirts. Luke tried in vain to convince the two older men that he and Jess really didn't have a need for a golf set and would be much better served to just rent one for the afternoon's outing. In this challenge he was unsuccessful; he was however able to persuade them that he and Jess could share the one he ending up purchasing, which cost the same as the last mortgage payment he had made on the house. This latest purchase did not soothe Luke worries about the upcoming costs that were affecting his family. Luke's only hope was that the shopping trip was going better, but he really didn't have much hope in that.

-----------------------------------------------------

Later that day at yet another store Lorelai sat down on a sofa by the dress rooms, pulled a piece of paper out of her purse, and started to write.

"Mom, what are you doing?" Rory asked taking the set next to her mom.

"I'm writing my last will and testament. Rory I can't do it. Make the stores go away," Lorelai practically begged.

"You love shopping," Rory tried with a smile.

"This isn't shopping this is torture," Lorelai exclaimed, " I hate these shoes!"

"You love those shoes," Rory tried again.

"Not anymore," Lorelai started to pout.

Just then Emily walked over. "What are you girls sitting for? We still have three more shops to stop at before four; then two hours to get ready for our evening with the Dunkley's. Diane has just been named the Director of the DAR museum in Washington D.C.. Also we have not selected proper swim wear for the Gellar's picnic on their beach front property. Not everyone finds it proper jumping in the ocean fully clothed," Emily finally remarked about the morning's wet trio.

"What dinner? What picnic?" Lorelai asked her mother being that this was the first time Emily had mentioned them.

"Diane is a dear friend and as a leading member of the DAR chapter in Hartford I would be remised if I did not attend the celebration of her promotion. It just happens to be the same weekend you're here. Likewise, the Gellars are a very fine family from Hartford whose daughter has been attending Chilton since kindergarten. There will be a few Chilton students and alumni there. Moreover, the Gellar's have a family tradition of Harvard graduates that has made many a good family envious," Emily explained her social decisions of the weekend to Lorelai and Rory.

Lorelai opened her mouth to argue; however, before she could utter a word Emily started speaking again.

"Perhaps we should move on to the swim shop seeing as we only have about an hour and a half left," Emily said and then turned to the front door of the latest boutique.

"Does this mean I have to get up?" Lorelai asked Rory, who this time wore a similar worn out expression. The lack of sleep and the early morning run were starting to catch up with Rory.

After both the girls had pealed themselves of the couch Rory asked her mother, "Doesn't grandma know with swim team I own more swimsuits then skirts?"

"Not the type of suits we're looking for kid," Lorelai rolled her eyes as they found Emily.

-----------------------------------------------------

After the golf game, Luke and Jess were sent to practice their swings, while the Richard and Eugene excused themselves to enjoy a little brandy and a stream. To be truthful, the older men and asked Luke and Jess if they had wanted to join them, but Luke didn't think it would be a good idea for him to start drinking at four in the afternoon and neither he nor Jess wanted to know how naked these men got in the stream room.

"So didn't want to see the fruits of their loom?" Jess joked swinging and missing the ball for the fourth time in a row.

"I could still sent you in there you know," Luke warned, actually hitting the ball and sending it a good 300 ft.

"I'm a minor; I shouldn't subjected to such graphic images," Jess commented and then continued smirking, "Wasn't your father-in-law suppose to size you up before you married his daughter?"

"Just hit your damn ball," Luke growled at Jess, which sent Jess to the grass laughing.

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Both of the girls and the guys got back to the house about the same time leaving a fairly short time for all of the parties to get dressed for the activities of the evening. The foursome from Stars Hollow had to invoke locker room rules, which had been invented during the first few months of Luke and Lorelai relationship when the girls would come and spend the night at the diner and all four had for share the tiny apartment bathroom.

_**1992: let's say January **_

_Jess had just woken up one Saturday morning that Lorelai and Rory were staying over, and he really had to use the bathroom because of the massive amounts of fruit juice and soda he and Rory had consumed with the pizza the night before. The door was closed, but he didn't hear any water running. So Jess walked in the bathroom only to be meet by a scantly clad Lorelai, who quickly covered her partially undressed form. They both let out a loud scream, which woke Rory up and sent Luke running up the stairs._

"_I didn't mean to, honest," was the first words out of Jess's mouth when Luke reached the pair of them._

_Luke looked at Jess and then at Lorelai, who was still holding the towel around her, and quickly figured out what had happened. _

"_We might need some sort of system to make sure this doesn't happen again," Luke stated jumping straight into problem solver mode._

_Later that night the four reconvened at the apartment's table to discuss a plan for bathroom usage, and that's when the locker rule was born. Which simply stated in case of emergency or severe lack of time the boys (Luke and Jess) and the girls (Lorelai and Rory) could share the bathroom to get ready; however, they could be no co-mingling of the two. An amendment was added to this after Luke and Lorelai got married: their upstairs bathroom could be used by both of them simultaneously; however, the locker room rule remained for the downstairs and most other bathroom they come in contact with._

**1999:**

Once they were ready the group headed downstairs for the inevitable review of the troops by Emily. Luke and Jess were in their suit that had been sent out to the cleaners that morning and embarrassingly enough matching gray dress shirts and ties, which Emily had insisted on buying earlier that day. Lorelai and Rory weren't fairing much better: Rory was in a little gray dress with a darker gray accent along the waist and Lorelai's dress was a dark gray empire waist number; all of which matched either the boys dress shirt or tie. It wasn't that they looked bad; on the contrary each of them looked very nice. The problem was they were starting to look like they fit in, and the idea of that was breaking Lorelai out in hives (figuratively).

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lorelai sat in the middle of the party, which was remembering her way too much of her own childhood, wishing for the first time that was she wasn't pregnant at just that moment. The third waiter had just offered to get her a cocktail and she could help but wonder if that would make the evening anymore bearable. Just then Jess came by and sat beside her.

"You used to go to a lot of these when you were my age right?" Jess asked hoping to get some hints on how to survive the evening.

"Yes, I did," Lorelai, said in a dark tone that she didn't use but when she was talking about her childhood.

"How'd you do it?" Jess honestly asked.

"Snuck tequila, kissed guys -- mainly Chris, and ended up pregnant at sixteen," Lorelai explained, but then added quickly, "However, I don't recommend doing it my way."

"Right," Jess said, "I don't really want to kiss a guy named Chris anyway."

That brought the first real smile to Lorelai's face since they had gotten there.

Rory came by about five minutes later, "Does Grandma expect me to remember all the names of the people she keeps inducing me too?" Rory asked nervously as she took the sit next to Jess on the couch.

"Probably," Jess remarked, which just made Rory's eyes get bigger.

"Sorry honey," Lorelai shrugged.

"Crap. I should brought my notebook," Rory exclaimed.

"Or better yet an audio recorder," Jess joked holding his hand up to Rory face in an awkward fashion, "I'm sorry could you repeat your name and this time say it more clearly."

"Stop it," Rory smacked Jess's shoulder.

"Don't hit your cousin," Luke said as he walked up and took the chair beside Lorelai.

"But I had a good reason," Rory defended her actions.

"Well then next time put your weight behind it to make the impact greater," Luke replied.

"Luke," Lorelai exclaimed while trying to smack his leg, "What sort of an example is that?"

"What sort of example is that?" Luke remarked about Lorelai's feeble attempt to hit his leg. To which Lorelai only stuck out her tongue in reply.

About twenty minutes later Emily found the foursome in the corner on the sofa talking. "What do you think your doing Lorelai? You are no longer a child and should therefore not behave like one. Now go out there and talk to someone," Emily reprimanded.

Lorelai took Luke's arm and they started to make the rounds with Emily, who didn't leave them alone until they felt like they had met everyone in the entire state of Massachusetts.

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"How many more days are we here?" Lorelai asked Luke as they crawled into bed later that night.

"Two," Luke answered very unenthusiastically.

"How has it only been one day?" Lorelai groaned leaning into Luke chest, "Do you think this is what prisoners of war feel like?"

"I think John McCain would argue he had it a little worse," Luke offered.

"Maybe, but I bet my book would sell more," Lorelai teased.

"What?" Luke turned to look at his wife a little confused by her latest statement.

"Think about it what sounds more relatable and scary to you… Survivor's log 1 day one: today I was beaten by twelve masked men in my skives or today I survived a six hour long shopping trip with my mother followed by a four hour cocktail party from hell," Lorelai exclaimed in her best announcer voice.

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Luke cocked his eyebrows.

"You don't know. You weren't there," Lorelai squinted her eyes glaring at Luke.

"I'm pretty sure Senator McCain would say the same thing," Luke yawned.

"Good night Luke," Lorelai gave up her argument for the night.

**Credit where credit is due: Rory's explanation of who vs. whom can be found of Wikipedia; I'm a science major and really didn't know this particular rule by heart. **

**Sorry if this chapter turned out a little random, I tried my best to tone down my leaping mind. Also I still plan to do more flashbacks (including one's that make more sense and people might actual care about) to their past; however, they'll probably resume after the foursome get back home (or at least that the plan as of now). Anyway… I had a few more skives jokes but they sounded a lot more like something Jess would say, and Jess magically popping in bed with them just didn't seem like the best idea. Anyway… thanks for reading and now there's just one more step before you can resume whatever you were doing before you starting reading… REVIEW. Please, please, pretty please.**


	9. Chapter 9: Survival rule 1

**Chapter 9: Survival rule number 1: Never let your enemy get the upper hand. **

** So it's been like 2 yrs since I've updated this story; to tell you the truth I had fundamentally forgot about it. Then last week I got a review reply about the story and I found myself reading it again for the first time in a long time. (Boy did I miss some nasty grammar and spelling errors. Sorry about that). I now have graduate school writing practice behind me, so perhaps I'll have fewer mistakes. Anyway, right now I'm in a state of limbo looking for a job, so I figure this might be as good as a time as any to look at this story again. (Just as an experiment for now mind you).**

** Guess I should sum up where the story left off (however if you have the time I would recommend just reading the couple of chapters previous). Luke and Lorelai are married have been since 1993 after starting to date in 1991 (that sorry is children and guardians). They are jointly raising Rory and Jess, who are as close as boy and girl in this story (again the reasons for this can be found in children and guardians). As of right now in the story it is 1999, July 4****th**** weekend to be precise, and our happy family of 4.5 is circling the seven ring of hell. They are spending the long weekend with Emily and Richard in Martha's vineyard, and lets just say thing have not been going to well. One day down, two to go. **

The next morning Lorelai woke up as Luke tried to slide out of bed, which was challenging task given that Lorelai had taken to sleeping practically on top of him.

"Where are you going?" she asked defensively.

"Out for a run," Luke answered, a little confused by the question, "just like I have almost every morning since we been together in the morning."

"Did you not hear what my mother said yesterday," Lorelai started freaking out, "She went on and on and on about it yesterday, and …"

With that Luke cut her off with a kiss. "Lorelai, you know I love you and would do anything for you. BUT if I don't relieve some of the anxiety and stress of being here I don't think I'll make it through breakfast without ranting. Please understand."

"I guess I'm being pretty unfair," Lorelai said hanging her head, "I just really don't want to be here. It's July 4th. I should be excited, I should be sneaking candy into your healthy picnic, I should be busting out my bikini and homemade t-shirt that says "future star trek nerd", I should get to see Kirk's butt."

"Ok… I was with you until the Kirk's butt thing," Luke interrupted, "Should I be worried about whose future nerd offspring is in there?"

"Ah… you finally admitted you're a Star Trek nerd," Lorelai cooed.

"No, I just asked the more important question," Luke smiled, "now I'm going to go peel Jess out of bed, and I promise you won't see us again until we are clean and at breakfast, dressed and timed appropriately."

"Thank you," Lorelai said still sitting cross-legged on the bed trying to decide if she wanted to lie back down or not. Without Luke in it the bed reminded her too much of her mom because of the colors and style. Before she thought too much about this line of thought, she decided to sneak into Rory room and bug her. Lorelai quietly opened the door and say her little girl curled up in her bed huge bed and instead of her usual kamikaze attack she crawled into the bed and quickly fell back a sleep.

Almost 2 hours later…

Luke and Jess were running up the stairs as fast as they could without making too much noise. They had both taken to running as far as they could as fast as they could. It was incredible cathartic, but hell trying to get back. Luke became doubly as panicked when he didn't find Lorelai in their shared room or bathroom, so he and Jess went into 5 minute shower mode, which meant he'd be coming to breakfast without shaving but it couldn't be helped right not. Luke was just grateful that Lorelai had talked him into keeping his hair shorter just weeks after they started dating. He didn't remember much, but remember her using the word mullet, and comparing him to MacGyver and season one uncle Jess. The MacGyver one he didn't actually mind that much, but he quickly got tired of the jokes she could make about what he was hitting back there.

_1991 October_

_Luke was standing his apartment kitchen working on dinner for the four of them when Lorelai came up beside them and started playing with the tuft of hair on his neck. _

_"So are you growing a ponytail," she asked first. _

_"No," Luke answered a little put off by the question. He had just gotten a hair cut the week before. _

_"I just noticed the most of the rest of your hair got a little short, but this part seemed to escape the scissors plan to taken over your head," Lorelai started her tale of hair domination. "Not that I'm not all about breaking society and cultures rules, but even Uncle Jess let his go. Don't you think its time?"_

_"Time for what?" Luke stated clearly lost in this conversation. _

_"To lose the mullet, Luke," Lorelai explained as if it were the simplest thing. _

_"What a mullet?" Luke asked. He had now stopped cooking and was staring at Lorelai, as if waiting for the second head to appear any minute. _

_"Business in the front. Party in the back," Lorelai said. Luke just continued to stare. Lorelai then moved her hand around and tugged on the back of his hair. "This is a mullet, quite nice, but a mullet nonetheless."_

_"I like my hair just fine," Luke answered and turned back to his cooking. _

_This same conversation or one's similar to it involving other stars of movie and television was repeated for over a month. Finally after be asking in front of the whole diner during the dinner rush if that is where he kept the secret recipe for coffee, Luke caved. "Fine, I give up. Tomorrow, you can go with me to the barber and tell him what to do," Luke yelled. _

_"No need I'll do it myself," Lorelai said with a smile, clearly unaffected that he had just yelled at her. _

_Later that night after both the kids had fallen as sleep in front of the movie. Lorelai approached Luke, as he was washing dishes in the kitchen. "Are you ready?" Lorelai said after preparing her part of the kitchen. _

_"I said its fine and its fine," Luke said setting he dish down and sitting down in the chair she had set a side. _

_Lorelai started with the back, but moved to the front, clearly standing much closer than she need to. At one point she asked him to spread his legs apart, so she could stand in between them for a better angle. Better angle for who the question still remains. When it seemed she was finished Lorelai straddled Luke in the chair leaning in to whisper, "Now all I have to do is remove all the little hairs from the back of your neck." She then pressed her upper body against his and started blowing the stray hairs of his neck. When Luke couldn't take it any more, he gently redirected her lips. After some heat kissing, as much as was possible with kids in the next room over, Lorelai spoke, "So I take it you like the hair cut?"_

_Luke was brought back to reality with that statement. "It certainly isn't like any I've ever had better," Luke stated honestly. _

_"Do you think you'd be willing to let me cut or hair again?" Lorelai asked. _

_"Well I haven't even seen it, but yes I'd like to do that again," Luke croaked out not able to met her eyes yet. _

_As it happens Lorelai did do quite a good job. Since then, Luke and Lorelai have thoroughly enjoyed their monthly hair cutting dates._

1999:

"Sure beats the barber," Luke thought to himself as he knocked on Jess's door to hurry him up.

"I'm ready, don't get your plaid panties in a twist," Jess snapped, as he opened his door while putting on this shirt.

"How'd you know?" Luke smiled at Jess. Between the run and trip down memory lane Luke was feeling pretty good, present location aside. He now just hoped that he and Jess weren't too late for breakfast.

When Luke and Jess reached the patio where breakfast was being served they only found Emily and Richard there. Just as they simultaneously turned to retreat back upstairs, Emily noticed their presence.

"Good morning, Luke. Good morning, Jess. Have either of you since the girls this morning?" Emily stated with as much fake politeness as she could muster.

**I realize that this is an incredible small update, but I'm unsure if anyone will read this ever. Therefore, I'm going to stop my ramblings for now. If I get feedback, I'll continue for as long as I can and/or the story holds up. If anyone is out there, I'd love to hear from you…**


	10. Chapter 10: Survival tip 2

**Chapter 10: Survival tip 2: Don't drown**

So there stood Luke and Jess, hair still wet from their respective showers wearing typical male summer weekend wear of convertible cargo pants and t-shirts in front of an extensive breakfast table spread and their quite formal dressed in-laws. Richard still sat behind his paper, but the silver cufflinks on his crisp white shirt could be clearly seen. At the other end of the table sat Emily in a tailor woman's suit with a very sour look upon her face. Neither Luke nor Jess seemed to be able to speak or move for that matter. Emily asked again clearly annoyed by their silence, "So where are the girls?"

Luke, being the good guy that he was, threw himself into the lion dens with one simple statement, "Jess, why don't you go check on Rory and Lorelai." He made sure not to mention he hadn't seen Lorelai when he was just up in their room.

"Sure thing, Uncle Luke." Jess didn't need to be told twice; he hightailed it back up stairs as fast as his feet would take him.

Luke took a seat near the middle of the table and sat in silence with Emily and Richard for what seemed like hours. He was actually starting to understand Lorelai's prison of war comparison from just the night before. Emily was starring at the stairs so starkly that Luke was conflicted about the return of his family to the table. Then after a few more agonizingly long minutes, Jess reappeared with Rory by his side. However, Lorelai was still nowhere to be seen.

"Sorry, grandma," Rory started as she walked around to the other side of the table with Jess, "Mom and I overslept. She'll be down in just a bit, but she needed to take a quick shower. I showered last night, or else I'd be doing the same as well. But Mom always says if she showers at night she wake up looking like a poodle."

Emily interrupted Rory's nervous ramblings. "It's ok Rory. I realize that youths like yourself enjoy the occasional late morning and such is the privilege of your age. However, your mother is a grown woman with responsibilities and should be able to handle a moderately early breakfast. How does she expect to get you to school if she can't wake up on time?" Rory was a little taken back listening to her grandma so openly demeaning her mother; she wanted to speak but she couldn't formulate the words in her mouth.

Before Luke could logical and calmly respond or Rory started to cry, Jess interrupted this woman verbal assault. "We," he said gesturing to Rory and himself, "are never late to school or swim meets, which can be as early as 6 am. Although they sometimes work long hours, which can extend quite late, Uncle Luke and Aunt Lorelai always put us first." With that the table was brought back to silence for the next two or three minutes. No one ate; the food still sat just as it was served over twenty minutes ago now.

Richard then put down his paper and greeted the new guests at the table. "Good morning Rory, Jess, Luke," he said nodding at each of them as he stated their names. "Where's Lorelai? My what a fine spread we have to choose from this morning. Shall we as they say 'dig in'."

Lorelai did finally join them for breakfast about twenties minutes later, as everyone else was finishing up, and Richard had already left to return a phone call in his office.

"How nice of you to join us," Emily started clearly not ready to let this slip of etiquette go. "We to leave for the Gellar house by ten or we will never be there before eleven. They live on the other side of the island, so we must take the ferry across and it leaves every hour on the thirty minute mark." Emily continued to talk to the entire group as if they were children. The dress is proper casual and because I was unsure if you had such attire with you the girl and I brought everyone their outfits for the day. The maid Susan, Sharon, whomever, should have them pressed for you when you return upstairs."

"Shannon," Lorelai said under her breathe.

"What was that, Lorelai?" Emily asked, visibly perturbed about being interrupted again.

"The maid's name is Shannon. She was laying the clothes in the rooms as I left to come down here to this happy table," Lorelai said with a smile.

"No one thinks that's clever. Really Lorelai," Emily stated before moving on with the schedule. "We also picked up a matching beach bags for your towels, bath suits, and such, which should also be packed for you. The agenda for the party is as always in the capable hands of Martha Eustace Gellar, who never fails at creating such creative atmospheres. We will be returning back to the house around five to allow an hour for dress and back out the island for the annual Fourth of July formal at the club. Lorelai, Rory, I have schedule my local hair dresser and her assistant to come by and fix your hair." Emily continued on like this for the next ten minutes before realizing the time, and subsequently excused herself to prepare for the day.

Lorelai was the first to speak as they all started to move back upstairs, "I knew today was going to be bad, but oy with the poodles already."

"That not the correct way to use that phrase," Rory spoke for the first time since first coming to the table.

"Just how bad are we talking with this party, casual dress mess?" Jess asked tautly.

"How much did you hate kind of matching yesterday?" Lorelai started with.

"No, no way. How come you didn't try and stop this?" Jess pleaded.

By now, they were all standing in a circle in front of their doors. "No reason to argue about it yet. Let's go inside get ready for this day and meet back out here in ten minutes. Deal?" Luke said stopping the ongoing commentary.

"Deal," they said in unison.

-10 minutes later-

Luke and Jess were wearing identical slate gray narrow Bermuda length shorts with belts, navy polo shirts, and dark brown boat shoes. (No one would say they didn't look good; however, they certainly didn't look like themselves.). Lorelai wore a navy striped empire waist dress with wide sleeves, which distracted from her slightly rounding middle, and slate gray canvas wedges. Rory had a cap sleeves top with the same navy stripes, an almost knee length pleated white skirt, and slate gray ballet flats. Each of the girls carried a ruby red sweater for the imagined chill that might whiffed across the ocean. Every item was pressed and spotless.

"We look ridiculous," Jess stated after looking over everyone, "for a picnic," he decided to add for the girls benefit.

"You just lucky mom talked grandma out of the first couple of outfits she picked out. You don't even want to know how close you were to wearing pink," Rory snickered. Jess just shuttered. After that no one knew what quite else to say, so Luke grabbed their pristine beach bags and lead the family down the stairs to wait in the foyer.

As they came down their stairs they were greeted again by an impatience Emily, who was looking at her watch. Emily was wearing a red dress that matched the girl's sweaters, a white sweater, and matching accessories. "There you finally are. You're father will be here any minute; then we'll be on our way," Emily spoke to seemingly only Lorelai. They all waited for five minutes before Richard emerged looking just as miserable and forcefully dressed as the rest in white pants, a red polo, and boat shoes.

"Emily, don't you think this might be a little much?" Richard asked as he entered the front room.

"Not at all, now we must leave right away if we wish to make the ferry," Emily said quickly.

"You're quite right, dear," Richard concluded looking at the clock in the hall, "You'll follow us to the ferry. Come to think of it why don't you borrow my car, and Emily and I will take the Mercedes. Its decided then; here are the keys." Richard finished before anyone else could voice his or her opinion.

-A few minute later driving in the car-

"Boy my parents are good. For a minute they even had me fooled. I would wonder how long they practiced that exchange last night," Lorelai started rambling.

"What are you talking about?" Luke looked over for a moment than shifted his eyes back toward the road and Richard's tail.

"The whole borrowing the car thing. You know it's only because they're embarrassed of me and the car that I love," Lorelai explained.

"They're not embarrassed of you, the car maybe, me definitely, but not you," Luke said very lovingly taking her hand to give it a squeeze before returning to ten and two.

"Awe," Rory and Jess teased from the backseat.

-An uneventful ferry ride later-

"So this is the old Gellar place?" Jess asked starring at the huge house on the water, "You sure we didn't make a wrong turn and end up at the Kennedy compound in Kennebunkport?"

"You mean Hyannis Port along Nantucket Sound," Rory corrected.

"Whatever," Jess answered absentmindedly since he normally hated the word and over use of term: whatever, and so pledged to rarely if ever use it..

They all slowly got out of the car and followed Richard and Emily to the more centrally located group of people on the terrace. There were a group of kids playing in the sand closer to the beach, another group of teenagers seemingly about Rory and Jess's age talking in smaller group around the compound, and the majority of the adults, who were not on the Gellar's payroll, were gathered around the house. In totally their were probably about forty people there. Emily gathered Lorelai and Rory to introduce them to more of her DAR friends and Richard took the task of leading Luke and Jess to the group of men at the bar.

"Lorelai this is Martha Gellar the host of the party, like I was telling you their family has been coming here for years and she has a daughter, Paris, just about Rory's age, who has been at Chilton since pre-kindergarten.

"Thank you so much for extending your invitation to my family. What a beautiful house you have," Lorelai said sounding more like a stepford wife than herself.

"You are more than welcome. I am just so pleased to finally meet you, Lorelai and the famous Rory. But that can't really be your formal name; it doesn't seem to fit such a lovely girl as yourself," Martha gushed.

"My given name is Lorelai, my mom named me after herself; she figured men to it all the time why can't I," Rory stated genuinely.

"That's the logical excuse, but it might have also been due to the drugs," Lorelai laugh letting a little bit of her actual personality shine through as she absentmindedly let her hand fall to her stomach.

"I tell you. I always thought I would have the same three children that everyone in my family does, but after one childbirth experience I was done. It took three years and two doctors to put me back together in respectable shape," Martha laughed lightly.

"How does your family share the same three kids?" Lorelai asked, while she and Rory giggled at the question, which seemed to go over the head of most of the circle of women. Emily just rolled her eyes at her perpetually immature daughter.

The next woman to speak was Meliora Lynn. "I am the mother of two of the most beautiful girl, Madeline and Marianne. I told Michael I wanted two girls and then I am done. He either didn't believe me or thought a boy could be negotiated. But good lord what do you do with a boy?"

Most of the other women in the circle laughed. "So have any of you have ever had or raised a boy?" Lorelai asked pondering the odd probability of that idea.

"We left that to Claudia and Joanna," laughed Abigail Grant, whom they later found out had three daughter, Eleanor, Louise, and Genevieve.

Claudia was the youngest of the women, Lorelai and Rory removed. "I have two girls and three boys. What can I say; I married a catholic. My oldest Abrielle is eleven, Balin is nine, Crispin is seven, Deacon is four, and this little one is one month due either Elana, Emberlynn, or Eudora."

"Wow, are you trying to finish the whole alphabet?" Lorelai asked the rounded woman.

"Good heavens, no. This is most definitely the last one. I love my kids, even with two nannies I feel consistently overwhelmed," Claudia finished.

"What about you Lorelai? Are you one and done?" Martha asked, " I know you had Rory quite early, and I'd hate to see you loose that lovely figure."

"Well," Lorelai started out slowly trying to think through what she was about to say, "Let's just say I formerly haven't ruled anything out, yet. However, for now, we are quite busy with Rory and Jess."

"Whose Jess?' Martha asked.

"My nephew," Lorelai stated pointing in the direction of the men, but unable to catch neither Jess nor Luke in the middle, "Well he's here nonetheless. I'm sure you'll meet him before the days up."

"I was under the impression you were an only child, Lorelai," questioned Meliora.

"Well technically he's my husband's nephew, but what's mine is his and what's his is mind," Lorelai shrugged giving Rory a side hug.

This type of chitchat between the ladies went on until lunch was served at one when the separate groups met up again at their assigned seats.

"So what did you do?' Lorelai whispered to Luke at the table.

"I listened to a bunch of men complain about business, discuss golf, and held Jess up from falling asleep from shear boredom. Just as they were finally moving on to a more interesting sport, lunch was called. What did you do?"

"We talked about girly stuff, houses, family, babies, the DAR, shoes, etc," Lorelai answered knowing Luke wasn't listening to anything she said after babies. "I was good; I didn't say anything," Lorelai smiled.

Luke smiled back, "So what happens after lunch?"

"I believe the swim suits are donned and everyone sizes each other up," Lorelai smiled deviously at her husband. Luke was about to respond when the hostess began to speak.

"Thank you so much for coming everyone. I'm so sorry my husband, Henry, could not join us, but he was detained on business in New York for the weekend," she continued on like this for quite sometime.

Rory and Jess were sat at a table with the other teenagers at the compound: Paris Gellar (14), Louise (14) and Eleanor (17) Grant, Madeline (14), and Paris's nanny. The younger kids and other two nannies were sat at the table adjoining the teenagers'. As one could clearly see Jess felt no more at place in this group than he had in the last. Madeline and Louise just kept looking at him, whispering something to each other, and then giggling. Paris was silently starring at the new comers (yes, it was just as creepy as it sounds), and Eleanor kept complaining about not being with her boyfriend in Vale. He decided his best course of act was to not engage anyone in conversation; he pulled out a small book of poems from his pocket and started reading. Jess pretty sure he heard the words "mysterious, sensitive, and misunderstood." from across the table. Dang it why did I pick poetry, he inwardly cursed.

The rest of the lunch was a quiet affair. Martha announced that the yearly couples badminton tournament would start in precisely thirty minutes giving everyone the chance to change and sign up.

"No way," Lorelai stated as she saw Luke's eyes on her.

"Yea right. You have no coordination. I'm asking Jess or Rory," Luke said. This earned him a swat on the arm.

As it turned out, no one really signed up for the "tournament." Most of the men retreated back to the bar and a few more including Richard had made their way into Henry's study for stiffer drink and cigars. Most of the ladies had changed into their bathing suits and covers except Emily and Rosemary, who turned out to be Claudia's mother. Lorelai who usually was the queen of the bikini was wearing a strategically placed wrap about her middle.

Luke quickly found Lorelai when she reemerged from the house.

"What's Rory wearing?" Luke asked pointing her out across the terrace.

"It's a tankini," Lorelai explained, "It's like of a semi-modest version of a bikini."

"I don't like it," Luke concluded.

"I'm pretty sure your not supposed too, hunny," Lorelai remarked.

"What happen to all the nice track suits?" Luke tried again.

"Mom didn't like them," Lorelai started and then smiled, "I don't see you complaining that Jess is wearing board short and not jammers like at the swim meets."

"Board shorts mean more coverage; the more appropriate comparison would be a Speedo," Luke replied.

"Are you volunteering?" Lorelai dared.

"Not in this life time," Luke concluded resigning himself to the fact Lorelai wasn't going to let him make Rory change. At least there aren't any teenage boys here, Luke thought to himself.

"So what about in the next?" Lorelai tried.

"How would that work?" Luke questioned.

"Soul mates meet and fall in love every lifetime they live," Lorelai stated stepping closer to her husband.

"You said you don't believe in soul mates," Luke challenged leaning in closer.

"I believe in us," Lorelai hoarsely whispered millimeters from Luke's lips.

"A guys you have an audience," Jess stepped in and said. Luke and Lorelai were then brought back to reality. They looked up and saw most of the women watching them; Emily was of course glaring.

"So we'll continue this later," Lorelai stated rather than questioned.

"Yes," Luke sealed the promise with a kiss on her forehead.

"You missed," Lorelai, said while walking back to the danger zone.

"You two are so cute," Claudia gushed.

"His not bad looking for an old guy," Eleanor stated attempting to enter the adult conversation.

"Thank you, I think" Lorelai replied.

Abigail and Eleanor then started talk about her debutante ball and coming out. They other mothers started talking about their own balls and their daughters' plans. Emily shared about her own dress and ball, but remained silent about Lorelai's failed debutante introduction. This is totally not the weekend to announce her news, thought Lorelai.

Luke and Jess had pealed off their shirts and were teaching Rory how to hit the birdie for badminton.

"Do we have to call it a birdie?" Rory asked, "It just seems so cruel."

"That's just what it's called Rory," Luke tried to reason.

"Yea, its not like we went baby bird hunting this morning, so we could convene in the merriment of torture this afternoon," Jess supplied.

"Thanks, Jess, big help," Luke groined, "Rory just try hit the small netted ball, ok."

"Ok, Luke," Rory answered.

They continued to play for the next thirty minutes or so until they heard one of the nannies screaming and point out into the water. Everyone within hearing distance at the compound stopped and looked to see what could have caused the nanny to scream. The water seemed normal enough until they saw a small child a good 900 yards out in the ocean. Between the two present neither thought she was accountable for watching the seemingly responsible 10-year-old Marianne, whose own nanny was visiting her family in California. Meliora immediately started screaming for Michael, who had disappeared inside for a cigar. Almost very one seemed paralyzed by fear. One of the men had stated running inside for Michael, while another was immediately on his cell phone calling for an ambulance. Luke and Jess had already removed their shoes and wallets and were about an even 100 yards out to sea. Rory was charged with finding a first aid kit and the closest thing to a backboard she could fine in the third minutes or so it might take them to get back.

Luke got to Marianne just a little quicker then Jess, so Jess was charged with finding the best and safest way back to shore. "Is she breathing?" Jess asked between wave breaks.

"Yes, but its shallow. And she's most likely swallowed a lot of water," Luke yelled back against rush of the water.

By the time, they hit the shore Rory had found Dr. Martin the Gellar's neighbor, who came with his own first aid kit.

"We swam all the way out there, rescued the child, and you still found away to out do us," Jess moaned as he lay in the sand catching his breathe.

"Good Girl," Luke said simple giving her a quick, albeit very wet hug.

"Hey what about me," Jess said from the ground sounding more like a kid then hero material.

Luke first thought was to say 'good job not drowning', but given the circumstances it didn't seem right. "You did good kid."

By then the paramedics had arrived and were speaking to Marianne and Dr. Martin, while Meliora and Michael had started yelling at each other about whose fault this was.

Within the next twenty minutes, Martha Gellar had reluctantly decided to end the picnic early. Everyone's nerves were fried. Yet everyone but Meliora promised to see each other at the formal tonight.

"Let's go home," Luke said wrapping his tired arm around Lorelai's shoulder.

"You mean it. Your going to willing skip out on the last day and a half of this hell," Lorelai said excitedly.

"Let me restate. Let's go to your parents temporary vacation house," Luke supplied, "Sound better?"

"Does it sound better? Absolutely not. Is it more accurate, yes," Lorelai responded opening the car door.

"So how were the girls you met?" Lorelai asked Rory and Jess once they driven an appropriate 10 feet away from the house.

"Louise and Madeline have a crush on Jess, Eleanor is 17 going on 25 going on like 13, and Paris is kind of creepy scary," Rory answered.

"You do know all those girls attain Clinton, right," Lorelai tried reading the teenagers.

"Yep," they both said in the same monotone note.

"Yep," Lorelai whispered out the window to nobody in particular. She really wasn't looking forward to tonight. Just before the commotion at the picnic Martha mentioned run into Francine and Straub Hayden at lunch the other day and inviting them to the formal. Lorelai couldn't help but wonder if there might be more then one type of fireworks this Fourth of July night.

**Okay so, I took some liberty in naming secondary and tertiary character's family members and creating a few more generalists. Sorry if I missed any real names. anyway… Moreover, that got a little serious with the possibility for more. Was it to over the top? No one got bit by a radioactive spider and got super powers, so it's all still all-good right? Anyway, thank you so much to everyone whose read the story in the last couple days and an extra special thank you to anyone who took the time to review. I love hearing the feedback (ok my ego love the positive feedback). This chapter was a little different, so we'll see. Shout out to the person who used the word outstanding to describe the story. Although I believe that was truly a generous word to use in describing anything I do, it still made my day.**

**So please read the story and send some feedback my way. Sometimes a word is all you need to put. **

"A word, a look will be enough..." – Captain Fredrick Wentworth, Persuasion by Jane Austen


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